Roanoke, VA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Roanoke, 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
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Daytime limit
- Audible 50+ ft across residential line
- Penalty
- Class 2 misdemeanor, public nuisance
- Covers
- Radios, yelling, musical instruments
- Enforced by
- Roanoke Police Department
Summary
Roanoke's noise ordinance makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor and public nuisance to run radios, TVs, stereos or musical instruments loud enough to cross into a residential property between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. City Code §§ 21-56 and 21-57(1) set the citywide quiet hours, with yelling, shouting and singing banned across residential lines during the same overnight window under § 21-57(5).
It shall be a Class 2 misdemeanor and a public nuisance for any person to willfully make, permit, continue or cause to be made, permitted or continued any noise disturbance, including those set forth in section 21-57...(1)Radios, television sets, musical instruments and similar devices. Operating, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, amplifier, television, record, tape or compact disc player, drum, musical instrument or similar device:a.Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in such a manner as to permit sound to be heard across a residential real property boundary;...(5)Yelling, shouting, etc. Yelling, shouting, whistling or singing between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. so as to create a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary or on a public right-of-way or public property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 94 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Roanoke City Code § 21-56 makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor and a public nuisance for anyone to willfully make, permit, continue or cause to be made, permitted or continued any noise disturbance, and § 21-57 spells out the specific acts covered. in a manner that lets the sound cross a residential property boundary is a noise disturbance. , if they can be heard more than 50 feet across a residential boundary line, so the daytime standard is a distance test while the nighttime standard is any audibility across the line.
that creates a disturbance across a residential boundary or on a public right-of-way or public property is likewise a violation. The ordinance also reaches schools, courts, public buildings, churches and hospitals under § 21-57(6), where any noise disturbance on the grounds is prohibited regardless of time. Section 21-58 lists exceptions, including emergency vehicle sirens, permitted parades and special events, religious services, and noise on municipal athletic facilities authorized by the property's owner, so a curfew violation must fall outside those carve-outs to be charged.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the nighttime quiet hours is charged as a Class 2 misdemeanor and is separately declared a public nuisance under § 21-56, meaning the city can also pursue nuisance abatement in addition to criminal charges. Each night a disturbance recurs across a residential boundary can support a new citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Roanoke's quiet hours?
Is yelling or shouting outside also restricted at night?
Does the noise rule apply during the day too?
Are there exceptions to the noise curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roanoke
How Roanoke compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Roanoke to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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