Newton, MA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Newton, MA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Trigger standard
- 5 dB(A) above background noise
- Exemption
- Licensed performances or permit holders
- Maximum fine
- $300 per day
- Enforcement
- Police and Inspectional Services Departments
Summary
Between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., Newton bars any unreasonable or excessive noise, including loud electronics, live bands, or loud outcries, defined as 5 dB(A) above background measured at the nearest lot line or dwelling. A performance or venue holding a valid city license or permit is exempt from the curfew.
(7) Between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. no person or persons shall disturb the peace by causing or allowing to be made any unreasonable or excessive noise, including but not limited to such noise resulting from the operation of any electronic device, or from the playing of any band or orchestra, or from the making of excessive outcries, exclamations, or loud singing or any other excessive noise by a person or group of persons, provided however, that any performance, concert, establishment, band group or person who has received and maintains a valid license or permit from any department, board, or commission of the City of Newton authorized to issue such license or permit shall be exempt from the provisions of this section. Unreasonable or excessive noise for the purposes of this section shall be defined as 5dB(A) or more above background level when measured not closer than the lot line of a residential lot or from the nearest affected dwelling unit.
Full Breakdown
: operation of any electronic device, a band or orchestra playing, or a person or group making excessive outcries, exclamations, or loud singing. The section defines the trigger precisely rather than leaving it to judgment: unreasonable or excessive noise means a level of 5 dB(A) or more above the ambient background, measured no closer than the residential lot line or the nearest affected dwelling unit. , still apply. Complaints are logged by the Newton Police Department and the Inspectional Services Department, and the city also has authority to resolve violations through the non-criminal civil-fine process set out in Sections 17-22 and 17-23 under General Laws Chapter 40, Section 21D, as an alternative to the criminal misdemeanor track.
Violations & Fines
Violating the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew is a misdemeanor under Section 20-13(k), punishable by a fine of up to $300, with each night of continued disturbance treated as a separate offense. The city can instead pursue the non-criminal civil fine track under Sections 17-22 and 17-23, and either way the responding department must document in writing whether the complaint led to a warning, a fine, or no action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's party be shut down after 11 p.m. in Newton?
Does a bar with a music permit have to follow Newton's nighttime curfew?
How is excessive noise measured under Newton's nighttime curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newton
How Newton compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Newton to another location·View the Massachusetts noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle quiet hours.