Newport News, VA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Newport News, VA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 28-36
- Standard
- "Plainly audible" in dwelling/vehicle
- Applies
- All hours, no fixed curfew
- First offense
- Class 3 misdemeanor
- Repeat offense
- Class 2 misdemeanor
Summary
Playing music, TVs, or sound systems loud enough to be plainly audible inside a neighbor's closed home or vehicle is banned citywide at any hour under Newport News's noise ordinance.
Play, use, operate, or permit to be played, used or operated any television, radio, audio system in a motor vehicle, record, tape or compact disc player, drum, musical instrument, loudspeaker, communication system, amplification system, or any other sound production or reproduction system or device in such a manner that it is plainly audible inside the confines of another person's enclosed dwelling unit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 28-36 bars playing or operating any radio, TV, stereo, loudspeaker, or other sound device so that it is 'plainly audible' inside another person's enclosed dwelling unit or enclosed vehicle, or plainly audible outside a school, court, or medical care facility while in use. The standard applies around the clock. Newport News has no separate nighttime curfew hours for general noise. Exemptions cover licensed public events, emergency and public safety work, warning devices, and clocks or carillons rung between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. for no more than five minutes an hour.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor; a second or later violation within any twelve-month period escalates to a Class 2 misdemeanor, and the city may also seek an injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Newport News set quiet hours, like 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.?
Are church bells or clocks exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
How Newport News compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Newport News to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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