Pittsburgh noise rules at a glance
- Governing code: Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title Six, § 601.04 (Noise Control)
- Quiet hours: 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM, when the residential limit drops to 60 dB(A)
- How violations are judged: Measured decibel limits
- Construction: Heavy construction, including demolition and jackhammering, is restricted to 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday through Saturday
- Complaints: 311
How Pittsburgh decides what counts as too loud
Pittsburgh keeps two separate tables — one in dB(A) for noise generally and one in dB(C) for loudspeakers — and judges a violation on a thirty-second average rather than an instantaneous peak.
Noise limits in Pittsburgh
| Applies to | Daytime | Night |
|---|---|---|
| Residential receiving premises (general noise) | 65 dB(A), 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM | 60 dB(A), 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM |
| Loudspeakers and amplification entering a residential zone | 75 dB(C) | 75 dB(C) — the amplified limit does not drop at night |
What's specific to Pittsburgh
- The limits are written at the *receiving* premises, not the source, so the reading that counts is taken where the noise arrives.
- Amplified sound is regulated in dB(C), which captures bass that an A-weighted reading discounts.
- Amplified noise plainly audible 75 feet from the source is separately actionable without a meter.
What Pittsburgh residents most often report
- Bar and venue loudspeakers carrying into residential streets, judged in dB(C) rather than dB(A).
- Mechanical equipment at the residential 65/60 dB(A) limits.
- Early jackhammering and demolition outside the 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM window.
How to measure it in Pittsburgh
Measure at your own property line, at least 25 feet from the source — the code says so explicitly, and where the line is closer than that, it asks for the farthest point you can reach within your property. Then hold the reading: a violation is a thirty-second average that exceeds the limit, or any instantaneous level more than 5 dB above it, so a half-minute session is the natural unit of evidence here.
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
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 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 311 routes ongoing and mechanical sources to city enforcement; police handle parties and immediate disturbances.
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.