---
title: "Fort St. John noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines"
question: "What are the noise rules and quiet hours in Fort St. John?"
place: Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/fort-st-john
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Fort St. John
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/noise-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/noise-rules.json"
---

# Fort St. John noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines

**Question:** What are the noise rules and quiet hours in Fort St. John?

**Short answer:** Fort St. John's Noise Regulation Bylaw 2507 has no single quiet-hours rule. Amplified sound, shouting and banging are deemed disturbing from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., animal noise from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., and construction noise is banned before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m. A bylaw notice is $100.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Fort St. John, https://www.fortstjohn.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 on days 31–60). Construction noise outside hours: $100, then $250, then $500 for a third offence (early $75, $200, $400). A municipal ticket is also $100 ($100, $250, $500 for construction).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-787-8150 (Also 3-1-1. Office hours are not stated on the City pages we read.)
- Online: Report a Problem form, https://www.fortstjohn.ca/report-problem

## Key facts

- **General rule:** No one may make or allow noise, sound or vibration, in a public place or coming from a property, that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of people in the neighbourhood.
  - Source: [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019, ss. 3-4](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest," … "No person shall use or permit such property to be used so that noise, sound or vibration"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Quiet hours:** 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.: voice amplification, shouting, banging, and sound from radios, TVs, instruments or other sound equipment that can be heard outside are deemed disturbing. 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.: noise from kept animals (except farm operations, shelters, vet clinics, kennels).
  - Source: [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019, s. 5(a)-(c)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "between the hours of 10:00 pm and 8:00 am, use of a megaphone, microphone" … "between the hours of 10:00 pm and 8:00 am, noise or sound from a radio" … "between the hours of 8:00 pm and 8:00 am, noise or sounds permitted to be made or caused by any kept or harboured animal"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Construction hours:** Construction noise is not permitted before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. on any day other than Sunday or a statutory holiday. On a Sunday or statutory holiday it is not permitted if the contractor is receiving profit or financial compensation. The Director of Planning and Engineering may approve work outside these hours.
  - Source: [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019, s. 6](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "before 7:00 am or after 10:00 pm on any day other than Sunday or a statutory" … "on a Sunday or statutory holiday if the contractor is receiving profit or financial" … "Director of Planning and Engineering or his/her alternate may give written"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other limits:** Horns, alarms or warning devices sounding for 3 minutes or more in any 15 minutes are deemed disturbing (unless a real danger or warning signal). A dog that barks or cries in a way that disturbs the neighbourhood is an offence. Exempt: police, fire and ambulance, City and government work, church bells, code-required alarms, and farm operations under the Right to Farm Act.
  - Source: [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019, ss. 5(d)-(e), 7](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "a dog whose owner permits or causes the dog to cry or bark in a manner which" … "totaling three (3) minutes or more in any fifteen (15)" … "police, fire or ambulance service personnel" … "the use of bells or chimes for announcing of public worship services"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Who to call, business hours:** City Bylaw Services, 250-787-8150 (or dial 3-1-1), or the City’s Report a Problem form. Complainants must give their name, address and phone number; anonymous complaints are not investigated.
  - Source: [Bylaw Services, Reporting a Bylaw Infraction](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services)
  - Official wording: "calling 250-787-8150 or complete the Report a Problem form" … "Anonymous complaints will not be investigated"
  - Source: [Bylaw Services Frequently Asked Questions, Anonymous complaints](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/bylaw-services-frequently-asked-questions)
  - Official wording: "must provide their full name, address and phone number"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Who to call, after hours:** Not confirmed. No after-hours noise contact is stated in the published sources.
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 ($75 within 14 days, $125 on days 31–60). Construction noise outside hours: $100, $250, then $500 for a third offence (early $75/$200/$400). Municipal ticket: $100 ($100/$250/$500 for construction). Two systems, not a conflict; compliance agreement available.
  - Source: [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019, Schedule A](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "$100" … "$75" … "$125" … "First Offence" … "Second Offence" … "$250" … "$500" … "16. The amounts appearing in Column 3 of Schedule A of this Bylaw are the fines set" … "17. The penalty for a contravention dealt with by bylaw notice in accordance with the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019
  - Source: [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019, s. 1](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Noise Regulation Bylaw 2507](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw) bans noise, sound or vibration, in a public place or from a property, that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment or comfort of people in the neighbourhood. It then names kinds of noise that are deemed disturbing at set hours. It sets no decibel limits.

## Steps

1. Check the hours below. Noise outside them can still be an offence if it disturbs neighbours.
2. If it is safe, talk to the neighbour first.
3. Otherwise report it to Bylaw Services at 250-787-8150 (or 3-1-1) or through the Report a Problem form. Give your name, address and phone number; anonymous complaints are not investigated.

## Good to know

- 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.: voice amplification, shouting, banging, and sound from radios, TVs, instruments or other sound equipment that can be heard outside.
- 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.: noise from kept animals (farm operations, shelters, vet clinics and kennels excepted). A dog that barks or cries in a way that disturbs the neighbourhood is an offence at any hour.
- A horn, alarm or warning device sounding for 3 minutes or more in any 15 minutes is deemed disturbing, unless it signals real danger.
- Construction noise is not allowed before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. on any day other than Sunday or a statutory holiday. On a Sunday or statutory holiday it is not allowed if the contractor is paid. The Director of Planning and Engineering may approve work outside these hours; the contractor must hand-deliver notice to owners within 100 metres three days before.
- Exempt: police, fire and ambulance, City and government work, church bells, code-required alarms, and farm operations under the Right to Farm Act.
- A bylaw notice is $100; a municipal ticket is also $100. The City does not state an after-hours noise line.

## Official forms and pages

- [Noise Regulation Bylaw 2507, 2019 (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw)

## Related questions

- [Fort St. John bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/noise-rules.md)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/noise-rules.md)
- [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/noise-rules.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/noise-rules.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/noise-rules.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/noise-rules.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/noise-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2507, 2019 (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/noise-regulation-bylaw) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Services, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Services Frequently Asked Questions, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/bylaw-services-frequently-asked-questions) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Fort St. John. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/noise-rules/_