New Orleans noise rules at a glance
- Governing code: New Orleans Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66, Article IV (Noise)
- Quiet hours: Nighttime is 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM on weekdays and 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM at weekends
- How violations are judged: Mixed standard
- Construction: Construction and demolition may not begin before 7:00 AM or continue after 6:00 PM
- Complaints: NOLA 311
How New Orleans decides what counts as too loud
New Orleans mixes an ambient-relative test with fixed caps, and shifts its daytime window an hour later at weekends — a detail that matters in a city where most of the disputes are about weekend music.
Noise limits in New Orleans
| Applies to | Daytime | Night |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient-relative test | 10 decibels above the ambient noise level, or 60 decibels, whichever is higher | Same comparison against the lower night ambient |
| Power equipment | 75 dBA at 50 feet; equipment rated over five horsepower may reach 82 dBA at 50 feet | Restricted outside 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM weekdays and 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM weekends |
| Amplified sound | An average of 80 decibels at 50 feet, and 78 decibels at 50 feet for certain sources | Same, with the residential district restrictions in force |
| Motor vehicles | 93 dBA at 25 feet for vehicles over 6,000 pounds; 95 dBA at 20 inches for lighter vehicles | Same |
What's specific to New Orleans
- The whichever-is-higher construction means a genuinely quiet street still gets a 60-decibel floor, so ambient readings cannot be used to force an unreasonably low threshold.
- Weekend mornings get an extra hour of protection, with nighttime running to 8:00 AM rather than 7:00 AM.
- The French Quarter and adjoining residential districts have their own restrictions on amplified sound.
What New Orleans residents most often report
- Amplified music from bars and street performers, measured against the 80-decibel average at 50 feet.
- Weekend morning noise in residential districts bordering entertainment streets.
- Vehicle noise, which has its own weight-based caps and measuring distances.
How to measure it in New Orleans
Take two readings — the source, and the ambient level with it stopped — because the primary test is 10 decibels above ambient or 60 decibels, whichever is higher. Then check the day: on a Saturday morning the nighttime standard runs an hour longer, to 8:00 AM, which is often exactly the window in dispute. Note your distance, since most of the fixed caps are written at 50 feet.
Record levels with the free online decibel meter, and log the date, start time and duration with each reading. A phone microphone is accurate to roughly ±2 dB and is not a calibrated instrument — enough to establish a pattern, not enough for an enforcement hearing.
Turn your readings into something you can file
NOLA 311 will ask when the noise happens and how long it lasts. A live decibel reading answers neither. Pro records a timestamped session — a ten-minute check or a full night — charts the whole thing, and exports a PDF with the dates, times, duration and the statistics that describe a pattern rather than a moment.
- Timestamped sessions with the recording timezone
- Leq and L10/L50/L90 background levels
- Print-ready PDF report, one click
- Your last 25 sessions, kept on your device
Measurements stay on your device on the subscription plans. A phone microphone is not a calibrated instrument — a session establishes a pattern, and this page is not legal advice.
How to file a noise complaint in New Orleans
311 takes noise reports; NOPD handles parties and street performance disputes, and the health department deals with persistent commercial sources.
Sources
Municipal codes are amended regularly and enforcement practice varies by neighbourhood and agency. This page summarises the code as of 2026-08-10 and is not legal advice — confirm against the linked code before relying on any figure, and consult a lawyer for a dispute.
Noise ordinances in other metros
See all US metro noise ordinances or read how many decibels is too loud.