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Puyallup, WA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Quiet hours in Puyallup, WA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.

Key Facts

Weekday exempt hours
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Weekend exempt hours
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Covered sources
Lawn equipment, blasting, bells, utility repairs
Max civil penalty
$250.00 under PMC § 6.16.100
Governing section
PMC § 6.16.070

Summary

Certain noises like lawn equipment, blasting, and bells are only exempt from Puyallup's noise code between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekends, under PMC § 6.16.070, meaning equipment run outside those windows loses its exemption.

§ 6.16.070. Noises exempt – Daylight hours. The following noises shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekends: (1) Noise created by powered equipment used in temporary or periodic maintenance or repair of resident property including but not limited to grounds and appurtenances, such as, but not limited to lawn mowers, powered hand tools, and composters; ... (4) Noise created by blasting; (5) Noise created by bells, chimes, or carillon not operated for more than five minutes in any one hour.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).

Full Breakdown

' The listed sources include powered equipment used for temporary or periodic maintenance or repair of resident property, including lawn mowers, powered hand tools, and composters; firearms discharge on authorized shooting ranges; installation and repair of essential utility services; blasting; and bells, chimes, or carillon not operated for more than five minutes in any one hour. 050. This section is narrower than a general quiet-hours ordinance: it only lifts the exemption for the listed activities like mowing, tools, blasting, and utility work rather than banning all sound outright at night. 100.

Violations & Fines

Running lawn equipment, power tools, blasting, or bells outside the exempt hours, before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, or before 9:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. on weekends, loses the PMC § 6.16.070 exemption and can be cited as a public disturbance noise violation, punishable as a civil infraction with a maximum penalty of $250.00 under PMC § 6.16.100.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mow my lawn early in the morning in Puyallup?
The exemption for lawn equipment noise runs from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekends under PMC § 6.16.070. Mowing before those start times isn't automatically exempt and could be treated as public disturbance noise.
Does Puyallup have a general nighttime noise curfew?
Not a blanket one. PMC § 6.16.070 exempts specific noises, like lawn equipment, blasting, and bells, only during set daytime and evening windows; it doesn't ban all sound at night, just removes the automatic exemption for those listed activities outside those hours.
How long can chimes or bells ring under this rule?
Bells, chimes, or a carillon are exempt only if not operated for more than five minutes in any one hour, and even then only within the § 6.16.070 daylight and evening exemption windows.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Puyallup

All Puyallup rules

How Puyallup compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Puyallup to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview

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