Tacoma Noise Ordinance: Decibel Limits, Hours, and Fines

The Tacoma noise ordinance, Chapter 8.122 of the Tacoma Municipal Code, limits how much a sound source can raise the noise level above the existing background at a neighboring property, with tighter limits between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Violations are civil, starting at a $250 fine and climbing to $2,000 for repeat offenses within a year. Several noises people assume are covered — barking dogs, loud exhaust, aircraft, trains — are handled elsewhere or not at all.

The Decibel Limits and Quiet Hours

Tacoma does not use a flat “too loud” rule. The code measures how much a sound raises the total level above the ambient (background) noise at the receiving property, and the allowed increase depends on the time of day and whether the measurement is taken outside or inside a neighbor’s home.¹

Outdoors, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.: no more than 10 dBA above ambient.
Outdoors, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.: no more than 5 dBA above ambient.
Indoors (measured inside a neighboring dwelling), 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.: no more than 6 dBC above ambient.
Indoors, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.: no more than 3 dBC above ambient.

The “above ambient” approach has a practical consequence. A quiet residential block gets more protection at night than a street next to a highway, because the baseline is lower. A moderately loud generator or heat pump that reads fine on a busy corridor can push past the 5 dBA nighttime threshold in a quiet neighborhood.

Commercial Music Has Its Own Rule

Music from bars, restaurants, and other commercial businesses is held to a tighter standard. Commercial music cannot raise the sound level inside a neighboring dwelling by 6 dBA or more, or by 6 dBC or more. The C-weighted limit matters because it captures the low-frequency bass that travels through walls when higher frequencies don’t.¹

There is also a “plainly audible” rule. If commercial music can be heard 100 feet or more from the business property line, that is a violation on its own, regardless of any decibel reading. Plainly audible means a person with normal hearing can detect any component of the sound without equipment, including just a rhythmic bass line. An officer does not need to identify the song.¹

When Construction and Yard Work Are Allowed

Construction and demolition in Tacoma must stay within set hours. On weekdays, work is allowed from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. On weekends and federal holidays, the window shortens to 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.² Emergency construction is exempt from the time restrictions.¹

Residential yard work follows a parallel schedule. Mowing, leaf blowing, and running a chainsaw are exempt from the decibel limits between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on weekends and federal holidays. Outside those windows, the same equipment has to meet the standard decibel thresholds.³

Contractors who need to work outside allowed hours can apply to the city for a noise variance. A variance is not automatic; it requires approval, and the city can attach conditions.²

Noises the Ordinance Does Not Cover

Several common complaint sources are explicitly carved out of Chapter 8.122. If the noise bothering you is on this list, filing under the noise ordinance will go nowhere; you need a different route.³

Barking dogs and other animal noise fall under Title 17 of the Tacoma Municipal Code, which deals with animals separately.
Loud exhaust, car stereos, and engine noise are governed by Chapter 8.12, not 8.122.
Aircraft operations are exempt, reflecting federal preemption of local aviation noise rules.
Train noise, including horns at crossings, is exempt. Federal rules require locomotive horns at public grade crossings.⁴
Emergency sirens, both fixed and on responding vehicles, are exempt.
Permitted parades, festivals, and other events under TMC Chapter 11.15 operate outside the limits.
Events at the Tacoma Dome, Greater Tacoma Convention Center, Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, and Cheney Stadium are governed by facility license agreements rather than the general code.
Backup generators running during a utility power outage are exempt.
Non-recreational commercial watercraft, including loading and unloading, are not subject to the ordinance.

The animal and motor vehicle carve-outs catch the most people off guard. For a barking dog, use the animal control provisions in Title 17. For a motorcycle revving at midnight, Chapter 8.12 is the right section.

Fines and How They Escalate

Noise violations are civil, not criminal. Fines rise sharply if the same person or property keeps violating within a 12-month window:³

First civil penalty: $250.
Second penalty within 12 months: $500.
Third penalty within 12 months: $1,000.
Fourth and each subsequent penalty within 12 months: $2,000.

Each day the property stays out of compliance can count as a separate violation, so the dollar figures compound quickly for anyone who ignores a notice. After two penalties in a year, the city can suspend any city-issued permits or licenses tied to the property or activity until the violator submits and complies with an approved noise control plan.³

Once penalties reach $1,000, the city may file a Certificate of Complaint with the Pierce County Auditor. The certificate attaches to the property’s title and becomes a public record that can complicate a future sale or financing. The Director of Planning and Development Services can waive monetary penalties if the violator comes into compliance or takes all reasonable steps toward doing so.³

Property owners, tenants, agents, and contract buyers are all jointly responsible. A landlord cannot shift liability to a tenant, and a tenant cannot shift it back.

How To Report a Violation

Tacoma routes noise complaints through its FIRST 311 system, which splits them by type:⁵

General noise complaints go to the Police Department, with an estimated response window of 14 business days.
Commercial and building noise goes to Planning and Development Services (Code Compliance), with the same 14-business-day estimate.
Construction noise outside allowed hours also goes to Planning and Development Services.

For a recurring problem such as a commercial HVAC unit that runs loud every night or a business with persistent music violations, Code Compliance handles regularly occurring noise from equipment and machinery.⁶

For noise happening right now that needs an immediate response, call the Tacoma Police Department’s non-emergency line at (253) 287-4455.⁵ Save 911 for noise paired with a genuine safety threat. Whichever route you use, record the date, time, location, and nature of each incident. A log of repeated incidents strengthens enforcement, especially if the situation reaches the penalty stage.

Suing a Noisy Neighbor

City enforcement is not the only option. If a neighbor’s noise substantially and unreasonably interferes with your use and enjoyment of your property, you may have a private nuisance claim in civil court, whether or not the noise violates the municipal code. Courts weigh whether the interference would bother a reasonable person, whether it is ongoing rather than a one-time event, and whether the social value of the activity outweighs the harm.

A successful nuisance suit can produce a court order requiring the noise to stop, money damages for the loss of use of your property, or both. Cost is the practical barrier, so this route tends to make sense only for severe, chronic situations that code enforcement has not resolved. Small claims court is cheaper for seeking compensation but cannot order someone to stop. Before filing, a written record of 311 complaints and any city enforcement actions will strengthen the case.

1
City of Tacoma. Tacoma Municipal Code Chapter 8.122 – Noise Enforcement
2
City of Tacoma. What Are the Allowed Hours of Construction
3
City of Tacoma, WA. Tacoma Municipal Code 8.122 – Noise Enforcement
4
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 222 – Use of Locomotive Horns at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
5
City of Tacoma. Tacoma FIRST 311 Services
6
City of Tacoma. Regulatory Compliance