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Washington, DC noise laws: quiet hours and who to call

When are quiet hours in Washington?

Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the disorderly conduct rule on unreasonably loud noise. Residential decibel limits drop from 60 to 55 dB(A) from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Right now: Checking the clock for Washington.
Who to call: Call 311 for police non-emergencies, including noise complaints. After-hours construction: DC Department of Buildings complaint form. Emergencies: 911.
The law: 20 DCMR Chapters 27 and 28; D.C. Code § 22-1321(d). Read the code

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We checked this against the city's code and website on October 17, 2026.

Washington, DC has two sets of noise rules for neighbors. The first is a criminal law: the disorderly conduct statute in the D.C. Code makes unreasonably loud noise at night a misdemeanor. The second is the District's noise control regulations in Title 20 of the DC Municipal Regulations (DCMR), Chapters 27 and 28, which set decibel limits and rules for music, construction and other sources.

Loud noise at night

D.C. Code § 22-1321(d) says: "It is unlawful for a person to make an unreasonably loud noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. that is likely to annoy or disturb one or more other persons in their residences." No decibel reading is needed under this section. The question is whether the noise is unreasonably loud and likely to disturb people at home.

Decibel limits

Under 20 DCMR § 2701.1, the maximum sound level from a source depends on the zone where the noise starts:

Residential, special purpose or waterfront zone: 60 dB(A) daytime, 55 dB(A) nighttime
Commercial or light manufacturing zone: 65 dB(A) daytime, 60 dB(A) nighttime
Industrial zone: 70 dB(A) daytime, 65 dB(A) nighttime

The reading is taken at the property line of the property where the noise source is, or as close as practicable (§ 2701.2). The Department of Buildings handbook lists daytime as 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and nighttime as 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Music and voices on private property

20 DCMR § 2800.2, as printed in the DOB handbook, makes it unlawful to cause a "noise disturbance" with a musical instrument, speaker, amplifier or unamplified voice on private property or public space. The handbook's definition of a noise disturbance is a sound that is "loud and raucous or loud and unseemly" and unreasonably disturbs "a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities." It also says that if the noise is at night, or doesn't involve noncommercial public speaking, the District doesn't have to measure the decibel level to find a noise disturbance.

Under § 2800.4, music played for your own enjoyment can't exceed 60 dB(A), or the zone limit, measured 1 meter from the source.

Construction hours

The Department of Buildings' noise page says construction is allowed Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. without special permits, and work outside those hours needs an after-hours permit. The page links to a list of holidays when no construction is allowed. Under 20 DCMR § 2802 in the handbook, construction noise on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. may not exceed 80 dB(A), measured 25 feet from the site, and the regular § 2701 limits apply from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

How to complain

The DC Office of Unified Communications says to call 311 for police non-emergencies, and its list of those includes noise complaints about music, barking animals and construction. The Department of Buildings takes complaints about after-hours construction through its complaint form. Its page says noise at bars and other licensed establishments goes to the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), and other noise in public space goes to the Metropolitan Police Department. For an emergency, call 911.

Penalties

A violation of § 22-1321 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine set by § 22-3571.01, or both (§ 22-1321(h)). For an offense with a 90-day maximum, § 22-3571.01(b)(3) caps the fine at $500.

Under 20 DCMR § 2713.3, as published on the DC Register's official regulations site, anyone who violates the noise rules can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to 10 days, or both, and each day of a violation is a separate offense. (The rule text printed in the DOB handbook shows $300, but the current rule on the DC Register site says $1,000.) Police or other officials may give a verbal warning first and allow time to stop (§ 2713.2). Police can also issue a notice of civil infraction instead (§ 2713.4).

District law

The disorderly conduct rule above is District law, which we read in full on the D.C. Law Library site. We have not reviewed the DC Noise Control Act itself (D.C. Law 2-53) beyond what the DOB handbook prints.

Keeping a record

If you plan to report repeated noise, a log of each night it happens, with the time and how long it lasted, shows a pattern. The Noisy Neighbor iPhone app logs each incident with the time, length and an estimated decibel level. It exports a PDF report or complaint letter. Phone readings are estimates. The DOB handbook says official measurements are taken by qualified inspectors.

Washington noise FAQ

What are the quiet hours in Washington?

10 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the disorderly conduct rule on unreasonably loud noise. Residential decibel limits drop from 60 to 55 dB(A) from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Who do I call about a noisy neighbor in Washington?

Call 311 for police non-emergencies, including noise complaints. After-hours construction: DC Department of Buildings complaint form. Emergencies: 911.

Where are Washington's noise rules?

20 DCMR Chapters 27 and 28; D.C. Code § 22-1321(d). There is a link to the official code at the top and bottom of this page.

What is the fine for a noise violation in Washington?

Late-night noise under D.C. Code § 22-1321(d) can bring up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. The DCMR noise rules allow a fine of up to $1,000.

Sources

Last checked October 17, 2026. Laws change, so check the official code before you act. This is not legal advice.