Tonawanda, NY Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Tonawanda, NY, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Night limit (residential)
- 50 dB(A), 11 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Day limit (residential)
- 55 dB(A), 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Enforcing agencies
- Building Dept. and Police Dept.
- Max fine
- $250 per violation
- Max jail
- 15 days per violation
- Alarm cutoff
- Must silence within 15 minutes
Summary
In the Town of Tonawanda, stationary noise sources may not exceed 50 decibels at a residential property line between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Town Board Local Law 4-2025's Table I, versus 55 decibels during the day. The Building Department and Police Department enforce the limit.
§ 133-6. Noise levels by land use. ... A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or permit to be operated any stationary noise source in such a manner as to create a sound pressure level in dB(A)'s which exceeds the limits set forth for the receiving land use category in Table I when measured across the real property boundary at the receiver's location between three and six feet in height from grade. TABLE I: MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE SOUND LEVELS BY RECEIVING LAND USE CATEGORY Sound Source Land Use Category Receiving Land Use Category Time Period Residential ... (First, Second and M-F) 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 55 65 75 11:00 p.m.to 7:00 a.m. 50 65 75
Full Breakdown
Chapter 133 of the Code of the Town of Tonawanda sets a two-tier noise curfew keyed to the receiving land use. Section 133-6, as amended 8-25-2025 by Local Law No. 4-2025, makes it unlawful to operate any stationary noise source that exceeds the dB(A) limits in Table I when measured across the real property boundary at the receiver's location, three to six feet above grade. For a residential receiving property, Table I caps noise from a residential source at 55 dB(A) between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and drops that ceiling to 50 dB(A) between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., the town's de facto quiet hours.
Noise reaching a residential property from a commercial or industrial source is capped higher, at 65 dB(A) and 75 dB(A) respectively, at any hour. Section 133-5 separately lists specific nighttime-relevant prohibitions that apply regardless of decibel readings: barking animals disturbing the public for 10 continuous or 30 intermittent minutes, unmuffled engine noise, and amplified sound audible enough to draw a crowd or disturb sleep in a residential or business district. Burglar alarms must silence within 15 minutes, and stationary emergency-signal testing is confined to 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Section 133-8 assigns enforcement to Building Department and Police Department personnel who calibrate and operate an ANSI Type II sound-level meter, with tickets issued by sworn officers or the Supervising Code Enforcement Officer.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 133-9, any violation of Chapter 133 is an offense punishable by a fine of up to $250 or up to 15 days imprisonment, or both, and each day the noise continues is a separate violation. Officers use a calibrated ANSI Type II sound-level meter to document a Table I exceedance before issuing a court appearance ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nighttime noise limit in the Town of Tonawanda?
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Does the noise curfew apply to alarms and testing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tonawanda
How Tonawanda compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·New York rules heatmap·Compare Tonawanda to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Erie County handle quiet hours.