Fernie noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines
What are the noise rules and quiet hours?
Short answer
In the City of Fernie, quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily, and construction noise is banned from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. A municipal ticket for noise during quiet hours is $250, or $500 for a second offence. Report it to Bylaw Services at 250-423-2244.
Key facts
| General rule | No one may make or allow noise that disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment or comfort of the neighbourhood during quiet hours. Some noises are banned at any time: motor vehicles with no muffler or an altered muffler, excessive horns, tire squealing, unattended car alarms, air horns, engine brakes.Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, s. 2 "Noise"; s. 3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingany sound that disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort of the No person shall allow, cause or make Noise during Quiet Hours. Motor vehicles without a functioning muffler or a muffler that has been altered to increase Excessive horns, squealing of tires, unattended car alarms, air horns, engine brakes. |
|---|---|
| Quiet hours | 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, s. 2 "Quiet Hours" · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBetween the hours of 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily |
| Construction hours | Construction noise is banned between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily. The bylaw sets no separate rule for Sundays or holidays.Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, s. 2 "Quiet Hours" (b); Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, s. 2 "Construction Noise" · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingConstruction Noise between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily Construction, demolition, reconstruction, alteration, or repair of a building or structure; |
| Other limits | No decibel limit found. Exempt from the noise ban: emergency vehicles, avalanche control, bells or chimes for religious services, security or fire alarms, City or contracted maintenance (such as snow removal and garbage collection), emergency repairs, warning signals, and approved special events.Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, s. 4.2; Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, s. 2 "Noise" · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingSection 3 Paragraph (3) does not apply to; Emergency vehicles; Avalanche control operations; Municipal or contracted maintenance operations Approved special events. Amplified sound (e.g., stereos, public address systems, wildlife deterring systems); |
| Who to call, business hours | Bylaw Services, (250) 423-2244, bylawservices@fernie.ca (online form also available). Car or house alarms and traffic noise go to the RCMP at 250-423-4404.Sources differ: The City's Managing Noise page gives Bylaw Services as 250.423.6817 (the City Hall number), while the Bylaw Services and Animal Responsibility pages give (250) 423-2244. I used the Bylaw Services page. The Managing Noise page also names a repealed Noise Bylaw, so treat it as old.Bylaw Services, How to Report a Bylaw Violation; Managing Noise, Who do I talk to about the noise? · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBy email at bylawservices@fernie.ca or By phone at (250) 423-2244 Car or house alarms 250.423.4404 |
| Who to call, after hours | RCMP, 250-423-4404, for noise from a commercial establishment after hours, and for car or house alarms and traffic.Managing Noise, Who do I talk to about the noise? · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording| Commercial establishment | Bylaw Services (during office hours) RCMP (after hours) | Online, email, or 250.423.6817 250.423.4404 Bylaw Services (during office hours) RCMP (after hours) | Online, email, or 250.423.6817 250.423.4404 | Traffic | RCMP | RCMP | Strata building you live in |
| Fine | Municipal ticket $250 for noise during quiet hours ($500 for a second offence). Muffler offences $100 ($250 second); excessive horns, tire squealing, alarms $200 ($500 second); wildlife-deterring device $250 ($500 second). Barking dog $150.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2041, Appendix 2 of Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2041 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingProhibited noise during quiet hours 3.3(c) 250.00 Prohibited noise during quiet hours- second offence 3.3(c) 500.00 Motor Vehicle with no muffler or altered muffler 3.3(a) 100.00 Failure to stop a dog from making excessive noise 5.1 (c) $150.00 |
| Bylaw | Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022, consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingCOMMUNITY STANDARDS BYLAW 2456, 2022 Consolidated to include Amendment Bylaw No. 2558, 2026 |
How it works
The City of Fernie regulates noise under the Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022. No one may make or allow noise that disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment or comfort of the neighbourhood during quiet hours. Noise includes shouting lasting 15 minutes within a 30-minute period. An authorized person decides what is objectionable, using factors such as time of day, volume, duration and nearness to sleeping areas.
Good to know
- Quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Construction noise is banned from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The bylaw sets no separate rule for Sundays or holidays, and no decibel limit.
- Some noises are banned at any time: vehicles with no muffler or an altered one, excessive horns, tire squealing, unattended car alarms, air horns, engine brakes, and devices used to frighten or deter wildlife.
- Exempt: emergency vehicles, avalanche control, bells or chimes for religious services, security or fire alarms, City or contracted maintenance (such as snow removal and garbage collection), emergency repairs, warning signals and approved special events.
- Municipal tickets: quiet-hours noise $250 ($500 second offence); muffler offences $100 ($250); excessive horns, tire squealing and alarms $200 ($500); wildlife-deterring device $250 ($500). A barking dog is $150. Construction noise during quiet hours is charged as quiet-hours noise.
- Report noise to Bylaw Services at 250-423-2244 or bylawservices@fernie.ca (an online form is also available). Anonymous complaints are not investigated. The City's Managing Noise page gives 250-423-6817 instead and cites a repealed bylaw, so use the Bylaw Services number.
- Car or house alarms and traffic noise go to the RCMP at 250-423-4404, as does noise from a commercial establishment after hours. The City pages name no after-hours line for general residential noise.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Sparwood · Cranbrook · Elkford · Kimberley · Canal Flats · Creston
Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality →
Sources
- Community Standards Bylaw 2456, 2022 (PDF), consolidated to Amendment Bylaw 2558, 2026, City of Fernie (read 2026-11-05)
- Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2041 (PDF), City of Fernie (read 2026-11-05)
- Managing Noise, City of Fernie (read 2026-11-05)
- Bylaw Services, City of Fernie (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.