Paterson, NJ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Paterson, NJ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Daytime residential outdoor cap
- 65 dB
- Nighttime residential outdoor cap
- 50 dB
- Quiet hours window
- 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Indoor nighttime cap
- 40 dB
Summary
Paterson doesn't impose a blanket noise curfew, but Chapter 337's sound-level table cuts the residential outdoor noise ceiling from 65 dB in the daytime to 50 dB between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Table I Maximum Permissible A-Weighed Sound Levels When Measured Outdoors Receiving Property Category Residential Property or Residential Portion of a Multi-Use Property Residential Property or Residential Portion of a Multi-Use Property Public Service Facility, Nonresidential/ Noncommercial Portion of a Multi-Use Property, or Community Service Facility Time 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
24 hours Maximum A-Weighted Sound Level Standard, dB 65 50 65 Table II
Maximum Permissible A-Weighted Sound Levels When Measured Indoors Receiving Property Category Residential Property, or Residential Portion of a Multi-Use Property Nonresidential/ Noncommercial Portion of a Multi-Use Property Time 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
24 hours Maximum A-Weighted Sound Level Standard, dB 55 40 55
Note: Table II shall only apply when the source and the receptor are separated by a real property line and they also share a common or abutting wall, floor or ceiling, or are on the same parcel of property. Table III Maximum Permissible Octave Band Sound Pressure Levels in Decibels Receiving Property Category Residential Property or Residential Portion of a Multi-Use Property (outdoors) Residential Property, or Residential Portion of a Multi-Use Property (indoors) Public Service Facility, Nonresidential/ Noncommercial Portion of a Multi-use Property, or Community Service Facility (outdoors)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4713536; v19 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).
Full Breakdown
Rather than banning noise outright at night, Paterson enforces quiet hours through numeric limits. Table I to § 337-8 sets the maximum outdoor A-weighted sound level at a residential receiving property line at 65 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., dropping to 50 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Indoor limits under Table II similarly drop from 55 dB(A) in the daytime to 40 dB(A) at night. These tighter overnight thresholds function as the city's practical quiet hours and apply to nearly every regulated sound source unless a specific exemption in § 337-5 applies.
Violations & Fines
Minimum $500 penalty per offense, up to $2,000 under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5, with each continuing day treated as a separate violation (§ 337-12).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Paterson have set quiet hours?
What's the noise limit inside my apartment at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Paterson
How Paterson compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Paterson to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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