Philadelphia County Quiet Hours Rules (2026) — What You Need to Know

Philadelphia's noise ordinance is codified in Chapter 10-400 of the Philadelphia Code, titled "Noise and Excessive Vibration." The chapter was substantially overhauled by Bill No. 050749, approved January 24, 2006, and applies uniformly across the entire city (which is coterminous with Philadelphia County).

Section 10-403 sets out the prohibited conduct. For residential properties, no person may create or permit sound that is audible at a distance greater than 100 feet from the property boundary or that exceeds 3 decibels above the background sound level measured at or beyond the property boundary. Exceptions exist for lawn maintenance equipment operated between 8 AM and 8 PM, and for air conditioning or refrigeration units, which are allowed up to 5 dB above background at the nearest residential property line and 10 dB at the nearest non-residential property line.

The ordinance also addresses specific nuisance categories. Animal noise (such as barking dogs) is limited to no more than 5 expressions of sound during any 5-minute period audible beyond 50 feet from the property line. Motor vehicle sound — whether from the engine, exhaust, or amplified music — must not exceed 5 dB above background level measured from 25 or more feet away. Amplified sound devices generally may not exceed 65 dB beyond the property line.

Enforcement is shared among the Department of Public Health (Air Management Services), the Police Department, and the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Officers can issue Code Violation Notices on the spot, and contested citations are resolved through the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication.