Multnomah County, OR Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Multnomah County, OR, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Nighttime dBA limit
- 50 dBA at receiving property
- Daytime dBA limit
- 60 dBA, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Plainly-audible test
- Audible in unit or 50+ ft on ROW
- Enforcing agency
- Multnomah County Sheriff's Office
Summary
Unincorporated Multnomah County bans sound over 50 dBA, or plainly audible sound reaching a neighbor's unit or the street, between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. under the county Sound Control Law.
It shall be unlawful for any person to produce or permit to be produced, with a sound producing device, sound which: (A) ... exceeds: (1) Fifty dBA at any time between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day; ... or (B) Is plainly audible at any time between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day: (1) Within a noise sensitive unit ... or (2) On a public right-of-way at a distance of 50 feet or more from the source of the sound.
Full Breakdown
The county Sheriff's Sound Control Law sets a nighttime noise curfew for unincorporated areas: from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., sound from a device may not exceed 50 dBA measured at a neighboring noise-sensitive unit, and separately may not be "plainly audible" inside that unit or on a public right-of-way 50 feet or more away. The daytime cap (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) is 60 dBA. Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village run their own noise codes and are not covered here. The Sheriff enforces; the county can also seize a violating sound device.
Violations & Fines
Class A violation, fine up to the state-law maximum for that class; each day is a separate offense. A device used to violate the law can be seized, confiscated, and destroyed as contraband, or sold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this quiet-hours rule apply in Portland?
What counts as a violation without a decibel meter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
How Multnomah County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Multnomah County to another location·View the Oregon noise ordinances overview
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