Rio Rancho, NM Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

Rio Rancho does not use a blanket 'absolute quiet' rule. Instead, Section 131.06 of the Municipal Code defines 'daytime' and 'nighttime' periods and applies stricter decibel limits at night, measured at the source property line. Per the city, daytime means 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; nighttime means 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. In residential zones the limit drops from 55 dB(A) in the daytime to 50 dB(A) at night (and 60/55 dB(C) on the C-weighted scale). A violation requires that sound be emitted 'persistently or continuously' - defined as a 10-minute period in which sound is discerned and exceeds the limit in each of the ten one-minute intervals. The ordinance took effect July 1, 2024, replacing an older, harder-to-enforce 'annoying noise' standard. Penalties fall under the city's general penalty, Municipal Code 10.99: up to a $500 fine, up to 90 days, or both, with each day a separate offense. The City Manager may grant a temporary variance for a non-reoccurring, short-duration activity, limited to four per applicant per 12-month period.