Noise from Specific Sources in Pennsylvania (2026)
36 rules on the books across Pennsylvania, 16 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
HVAC & Mechanical Noise
Noise limits for air conditioners, heat pumps, pool equipment, and other mechanical systems, including decibel thresholds measured at the property line.
Abington
Some RestrictionsAbington limits air-conditioning and mechanical-equipment noise to 55 decibels in recreation-conservation and residence…
Read full rule →Erie
Some RestrictionsErie's Zoning Ordinance Section 305.35(d) requires any convenience store's outdoor mechanical or refrigeration…
Read full rule →Haverford
Some RestrictionsIn Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, § 117-2 makes it unlawful to run an air conditioning unit or…
Read full rule →Philadelphia
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia Code Section 10-403(2)(b) exempts air conditioning and refrigeration units from the general residential…
Read full rule →Pittsburgh
Some RestrictionsPittsburgh caps unamplified noise, including AC compressors and HVAC condensers, that crosses onto a neighbor's…
Read full rule →Harrisburg
Light RestrictionsIn the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, commercial, industrial, or institutional outdoor machinery that could create a…
Read full rule →Bar & Nightclub Noise
Noise regulations specific to bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues, including bass frequency limits, soundproofing requirements, and complaint procedures.
Lower Paxton
Significant RestrictionsIn Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, a night club is a conditional use that must stay in an enclosed building with…
Read full rule →Scranton
Significant RestrictionsA nightclub in Scranton must close between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., keep all activity inside a fully enclosed building with…
Read full rule →Allentown
Some RestrictionsAllentown limits sound inside any bar, nightclub, or other place of public entertainment to 90 dB(A) measured at any…
Read full rule →Bensalem
Some RestrictionsBensalem Township caps commercial noise, including bars and nightclubs, under Chapter 149 of the Township Code. Sound…
Read full rule →Harrisburg
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a BYOB club located in a residence zone or within 500 feet of a residence…
Read full rule →Philadelphia
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia bars, nightclubs, restaurants and similar special assembly occupancies may not create sound audible more…
Read full rule →Pittsburgh
Some RestrictionsPittsburgh caps amplified noise from bars and nightclubs at 75 dB(A) where it crosses into a residential property, day…
Read full rule →Pottstown
Light RestrictionsBusinesses running a permitted or pre-existing legal nonconforming use in Pottstown's Downtown Zoning District are…
Read full rule →Car Alarm Limits
Maximum duration for car alarms before they must auto-silence, penalties for repeated false alarms, and vehicle towing authority for chronic alarm violations.
Allentown
Some RestrictionsAllentown's noise ordinance bans any exterior burglar alarm or motor-vehicle burglar alarm that doesn't shut off…
Read full rule →Bristol Township
Some RestrictionsIn Bristol Township, Bucks County, a burglar alarm in or on any building or motor vehicle is a nuisance unless it shuts…
Read full rule →Philadelphia
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia bans parking a vehicle with an audible anti-theft alarm that cannot auto-shutoff within five minutes; any…
Read full rule →Pottstown
Some RestrictionsPottstown's noise ordinance bars operating a motorcycle, truck, automobile or other motor vehicle in a way that causes…
Read full rule →Scranton
Some RestrictionsCity Code § 317-7A(3)(c) makes it a noise disturbance to sound, or let sound, any exterior burglar alarm or motor…
Read full rule →Bethlehem
Light RestrictionsBethlehem folds car alarms into its vehicle noise nuisance ordinance: causing or allowing more than one false alarm…
Read full rule →Upper Darby
Light RestrictionsUpper Darby requires exterior burglar alarms on buildings and motor vehicles to shut off within 15 minutes of…
Read full rule →Generator Noise
Rules for portable and standby generators, including permitted operating hours, decibel limits, and restrictions during non-emergency use.
Philadelphia
Significant RestrictionsPhiladelphia bars mobile food vendors operating on privately owned lots from running any generator outside the vehicle…
Read full rule →Abington
Some RestrictionsAbington's noise ordinance generally caps mechanical-equipment noise, but permanently installed emergency generators…
Read full rule →Lower Merion
Some RestrictionsLower Merion Township exempts emergency generator noise during an actual power outage outright, but generator testing…
Read full rule →Pittsburgh
Some RestrictionsPittsburgh zoning requires developments near residential zones to commit to daytime-only generator testing and keeps…
Read full rule →Scranton
Some RestrictionsScranton's code does not regulate home standby generators directly, but it does address generator noise at cell towers…
Read full rule →Delivery Truck Noise
Time-of-day restrictions on commercial delivery trucks operating in residential zones, including back-up beepers, refrigeration units, and engine idling.
Abington
Some RestrictionsAbington Township's noise ordinance makes it unlawful to operate a commercial motor vehicle unit on a truck, or similar…
Read full rule →Allentown
Some RestrictionsCity ordinance bars loading, unloading, or handling boxes, crates, containers, or building materials between 10 p.m…
Read full rule →Bensalem
Some RestrictionsBensalem Township bars anyone from idling a standing motor vehicle heavier than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight for…
Read full rule →Philadelphia
Some RestrictionsPhiladelphia limits how long a delivery truck's engine can idle at the curb, capping most vehicles at 3 minutes and…
Read full rule →Pittsburgh
Some RestrictionsPittsburgh's zoning code caps noise from delivery and pick-up trucks serving a development at 65 dBA by day and 60 dBA…
Read full rule →Pottstown
Some RestrictionsPottstown bars garbage and recycling trucks from picking up in the Borough between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m…
Read full rule →Reading
Some RestrictionsLoading or unloading boxes, crates, containers, building materials and garbage cans between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is…
Read full rule →Scranton
Some RestrictionsScranton's noise ordinance bars loading and unloading crates, containers, building materials or garbage cans without…
Read full rule →Upper Darby
Some RestrictionsUpper Darby bars loading, unloading or handling boxes, crates and containers between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. if it…
Read full rule →Low-Frequency Bass Limits
Special bass-frequency (≤125 Hz) sound limits for venues, including dB(C) measurement standards and how cities differentiate bass noise from baseline ambient.