Highlands noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines

What are the noise rules and quiet hours in Highlands?

Highlands, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

Highlands has no fixed quiet hours. The Noise Suppression Bylaw bans any noise that disturbs the peace, rest or comfort of the neighbourhood. Construction that disturbs others is not allowed before 7 a.m. or after sunset or 7 p.m., whichever is the latest. The fine is $200.

Key facts

General rule	No person may make, cause or continue any noise or sound, on a highway or elsewhere, that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood or of people near the source.Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (CRD Bylaw 961), s. 2(2) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No person shall make, cause to be made, or continue to make, any noise or sound in disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood
Quiet hours	None set. The Noise Suppression Bylaw sets no fixed quiet hours for ordinary noise.
Construction hours	Construction, demolition, alteration or repair of a building, or excavating or filling land, in a way that disturbs others is not allowed before 7 a.m. or after sunset or 7 p.m., whichever is the latest. The bylaw sets no separate Sunday or holiday rule for construction.Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (CRD Bylaw 961), s. 3(6) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No person shall construct, demolish, alter or repair a building, or excavate or fill before the hours of 7 o’clock in the forenoon or after sunset or 7 o’clock in the afternoon, whichever is the latest
Other limits	Also banned when disturbing: loud radios, instruments or amplified sound; animals or caged birds making frequent or loud noise; vehicles or engines without a sufficient muffler; engine retarder brakes on District highways except in an emergency; loading or unloading trucks before 7 a.m. or after sunset or 7 p.m. (whichever is latest) or on Sundays. Exempt: emergency vehicles, reasonable farm equipment, church bells.Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (CRD Bylaw 961), s. 3(1), (2), (3), (5), (8); s. 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No person shall play any radio, phonograph, television receiving set, tape, cartridge, No person shall keep or harbour any animal or caged bird which by making frequent No person shall use an engine retardant brake while operating a motor nor on Sundays. the operation, in a reasonable manner, of farm equipment
Who to call, business hours	The District's Bylaw Officer. Complaints must be in writing (Report an Issue form, email, fax 250-474-3677, mail to 1980 Millstream Road, or drop off at the District Office), except urgent health and safety matters. District Office phone: 250-474-1773. Barking dogs: CRD Animal Care, 250-478-0624.Bylaw Enforcement, Report a Problem; Find a Bylaw \| District of Highlands, BC \| CiviKit, Find a Bylaw page; Bylaw Enforcement Services \| District of Highlands, BC \| CiviKit, Animal Control · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Complaints must be submitted in writing, with the exception of those that identify urgent contraventions By mail: Bylaw Officer, 1980 Millstream Road, Victoria, BC V9B 6H1 please call the District Office at 250-474-1773 Animal control services for the District of Highlands are provided, by contract, through the Capital Regional District. Please call 250-478-0624 or E-mail.
Who to call, after hours	Not confirmed. No official Highlands page names an after-hours noise line.
Fine	Noise which disturbs (s. 2(2)): bylaw notice $200 ($160 within 14 days; $240 after 28 days); municipal ticket $200. Construction noise which disturbs (s. 3(6)): the same $200. The bylaw itself allows a fine up to $500 on conviction.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 475, 2025, Schedule A, Noise Suppression Bylaw No. 961; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 478, 2025, Schedule A, Appendix 5; Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (CRD Bylaw 961), s. 6(2) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Noise which disturbs 2(2) $200.00 $160.00 $240.00 Construction noise which disturbs 3(6) $200.00 $160.00 $240.00 Noise which disturbs 2(2) $200.00 is guilty of an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of not more than $500.00.
Bylaw	Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (Capital Regional District Bylaw No. 961), posted by the District as Bylaw No. 961.Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (CRD Bylaw 961), title page and s. 7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording BYLAW NO. 961 This By-law may be cited as the “Noise Suppression By-law, 1981”

How it works

The Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (posted by the District as Bylaw No. 961) bans making or continuing any noise that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood or of people near the source. It sets no fixed quiet hours for ordinary noise and no decibel limits.

Steps

Send a written complaint to the District's Bylaw Officer: use the Report an Issue form, email, fax 250-474-3677, mail, or drop it off at the District Office. Urgent health and safety matters need not be in writing.
For barking dogs, call CRD Animal Care at 250-478-0624.

Good to know

Construction, demolition, alteration or repair of a building, or excavating or filling land, in a way that disturbs others is not allowed before 7 a.m. or after sunset or 7 p.m., whichever is the latest. No separate Sunday or holiday rule for construction is set.
Also banned when disturbing: loud radios, instruments or amplified sound; animals or caged birds making frequent or loud noise; vehicles or engines without a sufficient muffler; engine retarder brakes on District highways except in an emergency; and loading or unloading trucks before 7 a.m. or after sunset or 7 p.m. (whichever is latest) or on Sundays.
Exempt: emergency vehicles, reasonable farm equipment and church bells.
Fine: bylaw notice $200 ($160 within 14 days; $240 after 28 days); municipal ticket $200. Construction noise is the same $200. The bylaw allows up to $500 on conviction.
No official Highlands page names an after-hours noise line. For animal matters, call 1-800-884-0919.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Langford · View Royal · Central Saanich · Colwood · Esquimalt · Saanich

Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality →

Sources

Noise Suppression By-law, 1981 (CRD Bylaw 961) (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaw Enforcement, District of Highlands (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 475, 2025 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 478, 2025 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Animal Control & Licensing, District of Highlands (read 2026-11-08)
Find a Bylaw | District of Highlands, BC | CiviKit (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaw Enforcement Services | District of Highlands, BC | CiviKit (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.