Rockwall, TX Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Rockwall, TX, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime residential limit
- 60 dBA (L10) / 50 dBA (L90)
- Nighttime hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Daytime residential limit
- 65 dBA (L10) / 55 dBA (L90)
- Enforcement
- Police chief; class C misdemeanor
- Reach
- City limits plus 500-ft ETJ
Summary
Rockwall's noise ordinance sets stricter decibel limits at night: residential sound can't exceed 60 dBA (L10) or 50 dBA (L90) between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., versus 65/55 dBA by day.
It shall be a violation of this article for any person to operate or permit to be operated any stationary source of sound which creates a...tenth percentile sound level (L10) or a 90th percentile sound level (L90) which exceeds the limits set forth in the table below for the receiving land use districts when measured at the property boundary...Residential: 7:00 a.m. -- 10:00 p.m. 65 55; 10:00 p.m. -- 7:00 a.m. 60 50.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 16-184 of the city code, stationary noise sources in residential zones must stay at or below 65 dBA (tenth percentile) and 55 dBA (ambient/90th percentile) from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., dropping to 60 dBA and 50 dBA from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Commercial/agricultural and industrial zones carry higher ceilings. Levels are measured at the property boundary with an ANSI-standard sound level meter. The rule reaches the city limits plus the 500-foot extraterritorial jurisdiction, and the police chief administers the program.
Violations & Fines
A violation is enforced by the police chief as a class C misdemeanor citation; the city can also issue abatement orders or seek injunctive relief for repeat offenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Rockwall's nighttime noise limits?
Who enforces Rockwall's noise ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockwall
How Rockwall compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Rockwall to another location·View the Texas noise ordinances overview
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