Portsmouth, VA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Portsmouth, VA, 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 (residential)
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Night limit
- 55 dBA at property line
- Day limit (residential)
- 65 dBA, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Commercial zone limit
- 75 dBA, any hour
- First offense
- Class IV misdemeanor, up to $250
- Repeat within 12 months
- Class III misdemeanor, up to $500
Summary
Portsmouth's quiet hours run from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. in residential zones, when sound measured at 55 dBA or higher at the property line is unlawful under City Code § 24-255(d)(1). The daytime limit is looser at 65 dBA, and commercial zones are capped at 75 dBA around the clock.
(d)Offenses requiring scientific measurement of sound levels. The following sound levels shall be deemed to be excessive sound in violation of this section, when measured outside the real property line of the sound source. The zone shall be determined by where the sound is measured, not where it is generated.(1)Residential zones; night. In a residential zone between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., sound meeting or exceeding 55 dBA.(2)Residential zones; day. In a residential zone between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., sound meeting or exceeding 65 dBA.(3)Commercial zones. In a commercial zone, sound meeting or exceeding 75 dBA.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
, sound meeting or exceeding 55 dBA' is a violation. the threshold rises to 65 dBA. Commercial zones do not have a separate night rule; (d)(3) sets a flat 75 dBA ceiling at any hour. The zone that controls is wherever the sound is actually measured, not wherever it is generated, so noise crossing from a commercial property into an adjoining residential yard is judged against the tighter residential number. These measured thresholds sit alongside, and apply independently of, the five per se offenses in subsection (c) covering car horns, vehicle stereos, animal noise, loud exhaust, and interference with courts or worship.
Subsection (e) allows a certified sound level meter reading to serve as prima facie evidence in any prosecution, provided the operator's calibration report shows the meter was tested for accuracy within the preceding 12 months and a certificate documenting the date, time, zone, and reading is issued and, on request, delivered to the accused.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the § 24-255(d) quiet-hours threshold is a Class IV misdemeanor on a first offense, fined up to $250.00 under § 1-11(a)(4), and a Class III misdemeanor, fined up to $500.00, for a second violation of § 24-255 within 12 months. The Portsmouth Police Department responds to nighttime noise complaints with a calibrated sound meter, and a resident may separately pursue civil nuisance relief under § 24-255(h).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Portsmouth's quiet hours start?
Is the noise limit the same during the day?
Do commercial zones have quiet hours too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portsmouth
How Portsmouth compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Portsmouth to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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