Washington Noise Laws (2026): Decibel Limits, Quiet Hours, Fines

Washington has a state noise law, but the state agency that wrote its decibel limits does not enforce them. Under the Noise Control Act (RCW 70A.20), the Department of Ecology adopted statewide maximum noise levels in WAC 173-60: noise from a residential property may not exceed 55 dBA at another residential property, reduced by 10 dBA, to 45 dBA, between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Ecology states that it does "not have authority to enforce noise pollution laws and ordinances," so complaints go to your city or county, which enforces its own noise ordinance or, where it has none, Ecology's rules. To compare other states, see our guide to noise ordinance laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-10. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Washington State law on noise: the Noise Control Act (RCW 70A.20) and Ecology's noise rules (WAC 173-60, 173-62); disorderly conduct (RCW 9A.84.030) and the misdemeanor penalty (9A.20.021); vehicle muffler, horn and speaker rules (46.37.010, 46.37.380, 46.37.390, 46.37.537, 46.37.680) and the court infraction penalty schedule (IRLJ 6.2); off-road vehicle and snowmobile rules (46.09.360, 46.09.470, 46.10.490); boat noise (79A.60.130); city, town and county ordinance powers (35.22.280, 35.23.440, 35.27.370, 35A.11.020, 36.32.120) and civil infraction maximums (7.80.120); nuisance law and right to farm (7.48, 9.66); state park quiet hours (WAC 352-32-056); the tenant's duty not to permit a nuisance and the landlord's notice to quit (59.18.130, 59.18.650); and consumer fireworks hours (70.77.395, 70.77.250). It does not cover the text of any city or county noise ordinance, lease terms, aircraft or workplace noise, federal property, or the law of other states.

Washington noise laws at a glance

The IRLJ 6.2 amounts are base penalties. The schedule states that the first-offense muffler penalty "may be waived upon proof to the court of compliance."

The Washington Noise Control Act and Ecology's rules

The Noise Control Act directs Ecology to "adopt, by rule, maximum noise levels permissible in identified environments in order to protect against adverse affects of noise on the health, safety and welfare of the people, the value of property, and the quality of environment" (RCW 70A.20.030(1)). For the chapter, "noise" means "the intensity, duration and character of sounds from any and all sources" (70A.20.020(4)).

Ecology's rule makes it unlawful to "cause or permit noise to intrude into the property of another person which noise exceeds the maximum permissible noise levels" set in the rule (WAC 173-60-040(1)). The limits depend on the type of property making the noise and the type receiving it, called environmental designations for noise abatement (EDNAs). Class A covers "Lands where human beings reside and sleep," such as residential property, multiple family housing, and camps, parks and resorts (WAC 173-60-030(1)(a)). Class B is commercial and Class C is industrial and agricultural.

Limits for homes. For residential (Class A) property receiving noise from residential property, the daytime limit is 55 dBA. The table in WAC 173-60-040(2)(a) sets limits from 55 to 70 dBA depending on the classes of the two properties. "Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the noise limitations of the foregoing table shall be reduced by 10 dBA for receiving property within Class A EDNAs" (173-60-040(2)(b)).

Short bursts. At any hour, the limits may be exceeded for any receiving property by no more than "(i) 5 dBA for a total of 15 minutes in any one-hour period; or (ii) 10 dBA for a total of 5 minutes in any one-hour period; or (iii) 15 dBA for a total of 1.5 minutes in any one-hour period" (173-60-040(2)(c)).

How it is measured. Noise is "measured in dBA with a sound level meter with the point of measurement being at any point within the receiving property," and enforcement "shall be undertaken only upon receipt of a complaint made by a person who resides, owns property, or is employed in the area affected by the noise complained of, except for parks, recreational areas, and wildlife sanctuaries" (WAC 173-60-090).

What the rule exempts

• Daytime only (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.): sounds from residential property "relating to temporary projects for the maintenance or repair of homes, grounds and appurtenances," gunfire on authorized shooting ranges, and blasting (WAC 173-60-050(1)).
• Except at night in residential areas: sounds from temporary construction sites and from forest harvesting and silvicultural activity are exempt, "except insofar as such provisions relate to the reception of noise within Class A EDNAs between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m." (173-60-050(3)).
• Always exempt: among others, motor vehicles when regulated by chapter 173-62 WAC, gunfire in the course of hunting, "Sounds caused by natural phenomena and unamplified human voices," and vehicles operated off public highways "except when such sounds are received in Class A EDNAs" (173-60-050(4)).

The rule also says nothing in it prevents "local government from regulating noise from any source as a nuisance" (173-60-060).

Who enforces noise rules in Washington

Not Ecology. Its noise page states:

"Noise pollution is regulated by local governments. We do not have authority to enforce noise pollution laws and ordinances, but we have provided model regulations that local governments can use. In many cases, local governments have their own noise ordinances. In localities that don't have a noise ordinance, our regulations are what are enforced by local authorities."

Ecology's resident FAQ adds: "If your local government has not adopted a noise ordinance then Ecology's noise rules apply and are enforceable by the local government."

The $100 civil penalty. "Any person who violates any rule adopted by the department under this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars imposed by local government pursuant to this section. An action under this section shall not preclude enforcement of any provisions of the local government noise ordinance" (RCW 70A.20.050(1)). That penalty applies to violations of Ecology's rules, not to violations of a city's own ordinance.

Local limits that differ need Ecology's approval. Section 70A.20.060(3) provides:

"Standards and other control measures adopted by the department under this chapter shall be exclusive except as hereinafter provided. A local government may impose limits or control sources differing from those adopted or controlled by the department upon a finding that such requirements are necessitated by special conditions. Noise limiting requirements of local government which differ from those adopted or controlled by the department shall be invalid unless first approved by the department. If the department of ecology fails to approve or disapprove standards submitted by local governmental jurisdictions within ninety days of submittal, such standards shall be deemed approved."

So the decibel limits in your city's code may match Ecology's, or may differ with Ecology's approval. Your city or county code is the version enforced where you live.

City and county noise ordinances

Washington's local governments regulate noise under their general police and nuisance powers, and the state sets penalty ceilings:

Where a local code treats a violation as a civil infraction under chapter 7.80 RCW, "The maximum penalty and the default amount for a class 1 civil infraction shall be $250," and for a class 2 civil infraction $125, "not including statutory assessments" (7.80.120(1)).

Is loud noise a crime in Washington?

The state disorderly conduct statute names noise only near funerals. It also covers a person who "Intentionally disrupts any lawful assembly or meeting of persons without lawful authority" (RCW 9A.84.030(1)(b)). Under the noise clause, a person is guilty of disorderly conduct if the person "Intentionally engages in fighting or in tumultuous conduct or makes unreasonable noise, within five hundred feet of" a funeral or burial, a funeral home during a viewing, a funeral procession the person knows is taking place, or a building where a funeral or memorial service is being conducted, "and (ii) Knows that the activity adversely affects the funeral, burial, viewing, funeral procession, or memorial service" (RCW 9A.84.030(1)(d)). "Disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor" (9A.84.030(2)), punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both (9A.20.021(3)).

Noise elsewhere can still be a crime under a local ordinance that makes it a misdemeanor, within the ceilings above.

Vehicle and boat noise: mufflers, horns and speakers

Mufflers. "Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway" (RCW 46.37.390(1)). No person may modify an exhaust system "in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle" (46.37.390(3)). Subsection (3) "does not apply to vehicles twenty-five or more years old or to passenger vehicles being operated off the highways in an organized racing or competitive event conducted by a recognized sanctioning body," and a court may dismiss an infraction notice under it "if there is reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not operated in violation of this subsection."

Penalty. "It is a traffic infraction for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required under this chapter" (46.37.010(2)). The IRLJ 6.2 schedule lists defective or modified exhaust systems and mufflers under 46.37.390(1) and (3) at $53 for a first offense, $73 for a second offense within a year and $93 for a third or later offense within a year. It lists "Any other equipment infraction (RCW 46.37.010)" at $48.

Motorcycles. No person may modify a motorcycle exhaust "in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle" (46.37.537).

Horns. A horn must be audible from not less than 200 feet, "but no horn or other warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle," and the driver "shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway" except when reasonably necessary to ensure safe operation (46.37.380(1)).

Car speakers. RCW 46.37.680 deals with how speakers are secured in a vehicle, and "Enforcement of this section by law enforcement officers may be accomplished only as a secondary action when a driver of a vehicle has been detained for a suspected violation of this title or an equivalent local ordinance or some other offense" (46.37.680(2)).

Ecology's vehicle noise rule. WAC 173-62-030 sets maximum sound levels by vehicle category "as measured at a distance of 50 feet (15.2 meters) from the center of the lane of travel," and bars "squealing, screeching or other such noise from the tires in contact with the ground because of rapid acceleration or excessive speed around corners or other such reason," except during emergency braking to avoid imminent danger. "Violation of any motor vehicle performance standard adopted pursuant to this chapter shall be a misdemeanor, enforced by such authorities and in such manner as violations of chapter 46.37 RCW" (RCW 70A.20.070).

Off-road vehicles. A city, county or state agency may regulate nonhighway vehicles on property under its jurisdiction, "provided such regulations are not less stringent than the provisions of this chapter" (46.09.360(1)). It is a traffic infraction to operate a nonhighway vehicle without an adequate, operating muffler that limits noise to no more than 86 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet under SAE test procedure J 331a; a maximum of 105 decibels on the A scale at 20 inches from the exhaust outlet, measured as the section describes, is an accepted substitute (46.09.470(1)(e)). IRLJ 6.2 lists any RCW 46.09 infraction at $53.

Snowmobiles. It is a traffic infraction to operate a snowmobile without an adequate and operating muffler that limits noise to 86 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet for snowmobiles made on or before January 4, 1973, 82 decibels for those made after that date, and 78 decibels for those made after January 1, 1975; snowmobiles in organized racing events in an area designated for that purpose may use a bypass or cutout (46.10.490(1)(e)). IRLJ 6.2 lists any RCW 46.10 infraction at $53.

Boats. "All motor-propelled vessels shall be equipped and maintained with an effective muffler that is in good working order and in constant use" (RCW 79A.60.130(1)). An effective muffler does not produce more than 90 decibels on a stationary sound level test, or 88 decibels for engines manufactured on or after January 1, 1994 (79A.60.130(1)). "No person may operate a vessel on waters of the state in such a manner as to exceed a noise level of seventy-five decibels measured from any point on the shoreline of the body of water on which the vessel is being operated" (79A.60.130(3)), and no one may remove, alter or modify a muffler so that it cannot operate in accordance with the chapter (79A.60.130(7)). Sanctioned races, official speed trials and manufacturer testing are exempt (79A.60.130(4)). Except as RCW 79A.60.020 provides, a violation is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW (79A.60.130(9)); IRLJ 6.2 lists $48 for each of the muffler, stationary-test, shoreline-test and muffler-modification violations, before statutory assessments. "Nothing in this section preempts a local government from exercising any power that it possesses under the laws or Constitution of the state of Washington to adopt more stringent regulations" (79A.60.130(11)).

State parks

In Washington state parks, "No person may cause a sound that may be plainly audible beyond the person's immediate area of use or campsite between the quiet hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m." (WAC 352-32-056(1)). At any hour, "No person shall, at any time, use sound-emitting equipment including musical instruments, at a volume which emits sound beyond the user's vehicle, immediate area of use, or campsite without specific permission of the park ranger" (352-32-056(2)). "Engine driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m." (352-32-056(3)). "Any violation of this section is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW" (352-32-056(4)). The IRLJ 6.2 schedule lists "Peace and Quiet (WAC 352-32-056)" at $73, before statutory assessments.

Shooting ranges and farms

Shooting ranges. The Noise Control Act directs Ecology to "provide exemptions or specially limited regulations relating to recreational shooting and emergency or law enforcement equipment where appropriate in the interests of public safety" (RCW 70A.20.080). Under the rule, gunfire on authorized shooting ranges is exempt from the decibel limits between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and gunfire in the course of hunting is exempt at all hours (WAC 173-60-050(1)(b), (4)(j)).

Farms. Agricultural activities on farmland and forest practices, "if consistent with good agricultural and forest practices and established prior to surrounding nonagricultural and nonforestry activities, are presumed to be reasonable and shall not be found to constitute a nuisance unless the activity or practice has a substantial adverse effect on public health and safety" (RCW 7.48.305(1)). "An agricultural activity that is in conformity with such laws and rules shall not be restricted as to the hours of the day or day or days of the week during which it may be conducted" (7.48.305(2)). A farmer who prevails in a nuisance action over agricultural activity "may recover the full costs and expenses determined by a court to have been reasonably incurred by the farmer" (7.48.315(1)).

Loud neighbors: what you can do in Washington

1. Find your city or county noise ordinance. It sets the hours, limits and penalties enforced where you live. If your local government has no noise ordinance, Ecology's WAC 173-60 limits apply and are enforceable by the local government.
2. Complain to the local government. Police non-emergency or code enforcement handles noise complaints; Ecology does not. Decibel-based enforcement under the state rule starts only on a complaint from someone who lives, owns property or works in the affected area (WAC 173-60-090).
3. A private nuisance action. Under RCW 7.48.010, whatever is "injurious to health or indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to essentially interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of the life and property, is a nuisance and the subject of an action for damages and other and further relief." The action "may be brought by any person whose property is, or whose patrons or employees are, injuriously affected or whose personal enjoyment is lessened by the nuisance" (7.48.020). The Noise Control Act does not cut off those remedies: nothing in it "shall be construed to deny, abridge or alter alternative rights of action or remedies in equity or under common law or statutory law, criminal or civil" (70A.20.060(1)).
4. Noise that affects the whole neighborhood. A public nuisance includes an act or omission that annoys, injures or endangers "the safety, health, comfort, or repose of any considerable number of persons" (9.66.010). "A private person may maintain a civil action for a public nuisance, if it is specially injurious to himself or herself but not otherwise" (7.48.210). Committing or maintaining a public nuisance for which no special punishment is prescribed is a misdemeanor (9.66.030).
5. Rental property. A tenant must "Not permit a nuisance or common waste" (RCW 59.18.130(5)). A landlord has cause to end a tenancy when the tenant "continues in possession after having received at least three days' advance written notice to quit after he or she commits or permits waste or nuisance upon the premises, unlawful activity that affects the use and enjoyment of the premises, or other substantial or repeated and unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of the premises by the landlord or neighbors of the tenant" (59.18.650(2)(c)). The lease may add its own terms; see our Washington landlord-tenant laws guide.
6. Fireworks. Under state law, consumer fireworks may be used or discharged from noon to 11 p.m. on June 28; from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 29 through July 3; from 9 a.m. to midnight on July 4; from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 5; and from 6 p.m. on December 31 until 1 a.m. on January 1 (RCW 70.77.395(2)). A county or city ordinance that is more restrictive than state law takes effect no sooner than one year after its adoption (70.77.250(4)), so check your local code. For sales and penalties, see our Washington fireworks laws guide.

Related pages

• Noise ordinance laws by state
• Washington landlord-tenant laws
• Washington fireworks laws
• Oregon noise ordinance laws
• Idaho noise ordinance laws

This article provides general legal information about Washington State law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Washington or your city or county government.

Last updated: 2026-10-10.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the noise laws in Washington State?

The Noise Control Act (RCW 70A.20) and Ecology's rules in WAC 173-60 set statewide maximum noise levels, but Ecology says it has no authority to enforce them; cities and counties enforce their own noise ordinances or, where they have none, Ecology's rules. Vehicle mufflers are covered by RCW 46.37.390.

What are the quiet hours in Washington State?

Under WAC 173-60-040, the noise limit for residential receiving property drops by 10 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., to 45 dBA for noise from another residential property. State parks have quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. (WAC 352-32-056). Your city or county code may set its own hours.

How many decibels is too loud in Washington?

For residential property receiving noise from residential property, the WAC 173-60-040 limit is 55 dBA in the day and 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with short excursions allowed (5 dBA for 15 minutes in an hour, 10 dBA for 5 minutes, or 15 dBA for 1.5 minutes). Local limits approved by Ecology may differ.

Who do I call about a noise complaint in Washington?

Your city or county, usually through the police non-emergency line or code enforcement. Ecology states that noise pollution is regulated by local governments and that it does not enforce noise laws or ordinances.

Is a loud neighbor disorderly conduct in Washington?

Generally no. The disorderly conduct statute's noise clause applies only to unreasonable noise within 500 feet of a funeral, burial, viewing, funeral procession or memorial service (RCW 9A.84.030(1)(d)); the statute also covers intentionally disrupting a lawful assembly or meeting without lawful authority (9A.84.030(1)(b)). Neighbor noise is handled under local ordinances.

What is the fine for a loud exhaust in Washington?

A defective or modified exhaust or muffler under RCW 46.37.390(1) or (3) is a traffic infraction; the IRLJ 6.2 schedule lists $53 for a first offense (which may be waived on proof of compliance), $73 for a second within a year and $93 for later offenses, before statutory assessments.

Is construction noise allowed at night in Washington?

Construction sounds are exempt from the WAC 173-60-040 limits except for noise received in residential (Class A) areas between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. (WAC 173-60-050(3)). Local ordinances may add their own rules.