Noise Nuisance in France: Tapage Nocturne and Neighbour Noise Fines

Noise is the most common neighbour dispute in France, and the law approaches it from two directions at once. There is a criminal side, where the police can issue a fine for a noisy disturbance, and a civil side, where a neighbour can claim compensation or a court order to make the noise stop. Knowing which is which saves time, whether you are the person disturbed or the person worried about a complaint.

This page covers both perspectives. It explains what French law counts as unlawful noise, what the fine is and when it applies, the steps to take if a neighbour is noisy, and how to reduce your own risk of being sanctioned.

Information last verified on 22 July 2026. This page presents general legal information, not legal advice.

Two kinds of noise problem

French law does not have a single "noise offence". It has two overlapping rules, and telling them apart is the key to handling a dispute.

The first is bruit de voisinage, neighbourhood noise. Under Article R1336-5 of the Code de la sante publique, no particular noise may, by its duration, its repetition, or its intensity, harm the tranquillity of the neighbourhood or human health, in a public or private place, whether the person is directly the source or acts through another person, a thing in their care, or an animal under their responsibility. Crucially, this rule applies by day or by night. Persistent daytime noise can be just as actionable as a night-time one.

The second is tapage nocturne, the night-time disturbance offence. It targets noise after dark that troubles the peace of others, and, unlike the health-code rule, it does not require the noise to be repeated or to last: a single loud episode at night can be enough. Most people who say "tapage nocturne" mean this night offence, but the daytime health-code rule is often the one that actually applies to a long-running problem.

What the law says

The night offence sits in the Code penal. Article R623-2 punishes noisy or injurious disturbances (bruits ou tapages injurieux ou nocturnes) that trouble the tranquillity of others. Night is generally understood as the period around 10pm to 7am, though the article does not fix precise hours; what matters is that the noise disturbed someone's peace. The article also allows an additional penalty of confiscation of the thing used to commit the offence, such as sound equipment.

The daytime and general rule sits in the Code de la sante publique. Articles R1336-5 and following define the abnormal neighbourhood noise standard and apply to almost all neighbourhood noise, with limited exceptions such as transport, aircraft, and defence activities. Together these two codes mean a noisy neighbour can be reached whether the problem happens at 2am or at 2pm.

The fine: class and amount

Tapage nocturne is a third-class contravention. In practice this means a fixed fine, known as an amende forfaitaire, of 68 euros if it is paid promptly. If the fine is not paid within the deadline it rises to 180 euros, and if the matter goes before a court the maximum fine for a third-class contravention is 450 euros. A bruit de voisinage dealt with under the Code de la sante publique is likewise sanctioned at contravention level.

These amounts are set by decree and can be revised, so it is wise to confirm the current figure on service-public.gouv.fr before relying on it. A fine is a criminal penalty paid to the state. It does not compensate a disturbed neighbour, which is where the separate civil route comes in.

If your neighbour is noisy

Handle it in stages. Begin with a direct, calm conversation, because many noise problems are simply unnoticed by the person causing them. If that does not work, put your request in writing, keep a copy, and if needed send a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt.

If the noise continues, start recording it: a dated log of each incident, times, and duration is the backbone of any later step. You can report the situation to the police or gendarmerie. They may enter it in a main courante, a logged report that creates an official trace, or take a formal plainte (complaint) that can lead to the contravention being pursued. For night noise in particular, calling while it is happening lets officers witness it and note the offence.

Alongside the criminal steps, you can pursue the civil route of trouble anormal de voisinage to obtain damages or an order to stop the nuisance, without having to prove fault. The two routes are independent, and serious noise often justifies both. The companion page on neighbour disputes and trouble anormal de voisinage explains that civil claim and the mandatory conciliation step in full.

If you are worried about your own noise

The rules cut both ways, and the risk is not limited to the small hours. After dark, tapage nocturne can be established from a single noisy episode. During the day, a bruit de voisinage can still be penalised under the Code de la sante publique when it is abnormal by its repetition, intensity, or duration. Common examples include prolonged DIY work, a dog left barking for hours, or loud music repeated day after day.

The practical defence is simple: keep noise reasonable, be responsive when a neighbour raises a concern, and address predictable sources such as building works or pets before they become a pattern. Cooperating early is the surest way to avoid both a fine and a civil claim.

Using evidence, including recordings

Because both the fine and a civil claim turn on proof, evidence decides most noise disputes. Dated logs, statements from other neighbours, and a bailiff's report (constat) are the strongest and safest forms. Recording the noise yourself is possible but sensitive: capturing a neighbour's home or a shared space with a camera or microphone raises privacy and image-rights issues and can itself be unlawful. Before installing any recording device, review the guidance at video surveillance in France.

For the wider set of property and neighbour issues, see the France property disputes hub, and for the country legal-information home, France laws.