Philadelphia, PA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Philadelphia, PA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Code Chapter
- Phila. Code Ch. 10-400 (Noise & Excessive Vibration)
- Right-of-Way Quiet Hours
- 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. (amplified devices, near homes)
- Trash Collection Quiet Hours
- 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Noise Regulation Sec. II.A)
- Residential Audibility Limit
- Audible >100 ft from property line, or >3 dB above background
Summary
Philadelphia's Noise Code (Chapter 10-400) is mainly decibel-based rather than blanket quiet hours, but it bars amplified radios/players in the public right-of-way abutting homes from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m., and a Health Department regulation prohibits residential trash collection noise from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Sound Created in the Right-of-Way. No person shall create or cause, or permit the creation of, sound in the public right-of-way: (a) abutting a residential property by amplification from a radio, tape player or similar device between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., unless used in connection with an earplug or earphones which will prevent significant emanation of sound from such device; or (b) that exceeds the levels permissible for sound emanating from property directly abutting such portion of the right-of-way.
Full Breakdown
Philadelphia Code Section 10-403 sets sound limits measured in decibels above background at the property boundary rather than fixed citywide quiet hours. The clearest time-of-day rule is Section 10-403(7)(a): in the public right-of-way abutting a residential property, no amplified sound from a radio, tape player, or similar device is allowed between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. unless used with an earplug or earphones. A general residential cap in Section 10-403(2) prohibits sound from a residential property that is audible more than 100 feet beyond the property line or that exceeds 3 decibels above background, with carve-outs for lawn equipment (8 a.m.-8 p.m.), air conditioning, animals, and the unamplified human voice. Separately, the Department of Public Health's Noise and Excessive Vibration Regulations (Section II.A, promulgated under Section 10-407) prohibit ash, trash, or garbage collection that creates noise at residential sites between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. without prior written Department permission.
Violations & Fines
Enforced by the Department of Public Health, Police Department, and Department of Licenses and Inspections via a Code Violation Notice under Section 1-112. Under Section 10-406, fines run from $100-$300 for a first violation up to $500-$700 for a fourth or later violation within twelve months, and each day a violation continues is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Philadelphia have fixed citywide quiet hours?
How loud can a home be at night?
Who do I call about a noise complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Philadelphia
How Philadelphia compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Philadelphia to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise ordinances overview
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