Virginia Beach, VA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Virginia Beach, VA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime hours
- 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.
- Nighttime limit
- 55 dBA indoors
- Daytime limit
- 65 dBA, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Enforcement
- Police dept. or citizen summons
- First offense
- Class 3 misdemeanor
Summary
Between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., sound audible in a neighbor's home over 55 dBA violates city code, measured indoors near the source wall.
Nighttime. No person shall permit, operate or cause any source of sound to create a sound level that can be heard in another person's residential dwelling during the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in excess of 55 dBA when measured inside the residence at least four (4) feet from the wall nearest the source, with doors and windows to the receiving area closed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 23-69(a) sets a strict nighttime cap: no one may permit, operate, or cause a sound source that produces more than 55 dBA inside another person's residential dwelling between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., measured at least four feet from the nearest wall with doors and windows closed. The daytime cap (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) is looser, 65 dBA. Police enforce under § 23-65, and a private citizen can also seek a magistrate's summons under the same section.
Violations & Fines
First offense is a Class 3 misdemeanor; a repeat violation within one year of a prior conviction is a Class 2 misdemeanor. The city may also seek a circuit court injunction against a continuing violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is nighttime noise measured in Virginia Beach?
Who enforces the quiet hours law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
How Virginia Beach compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Virginia Beach to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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