{"title":"Merritt noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","question":"What are the noise rules and quiet hours?","slug":"noise-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"bylaws-and-complaints","name":"Bylaws, noise and complaints"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Merritt","url":"https://www.merritt.ca"},"short_answer":"Merritt's Good Neighbour Bylaw bans noise that disturbs the neighbourhood at any hour and sets no fixed quiet hours. Disturbing construction noise is banned before 7:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. A noise bylaw notice is $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days).","aliases":["quiet hours merritt","noise bylaw merritt","construction hours merritt","barking dog noise merritt","jake brake merritt"],"cost":"Bylaw notice: $200 for disturbing noise or construction noise outside permitted hours ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 after 28 days). Animal or bird noise $100 ($75 within 14 days; $125 after 28 days).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"online","label":"Report a Bylaw Infraction form (category Noise)","value":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"250-378-4224 ext. 216","note":"City Hall is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylaw@merritt.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387 (PDF)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf"},{"title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424 (PDF)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Merritt bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/bylaw-fines/"},{"slug":"unsightly-property","title":"Merritt unsightly property rules and how to report","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/unsightly-property/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/logan-lake","name":"Logan Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/noise-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lytton","name":"Lytton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lytton/noise-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/noise-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/ashcroft","name":"Ashcroft","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/noise-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/noise-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-kelowna","name":"West Kelowna","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/noise-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/noise-rules/"},"facts":{"general_rule":{"label":"General rule","value":"No one may make, cause or allow any noise or sound, on a highway or anywhere in the City, that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood or people nearby. Owners and occupiers must not let their property be used that way.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 7.1","quotes":["No person shall make or cause, or permit to be made or caused, any noise or sound in or on a highway or elsewhere in the City which disturbs, or tends to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"quiet_hours":{"label":"Quiet hours","value":null,"status":"none","note":"The Good Neighbour Bylaw sets no fixed quiet hours.","sources":[]},"construction_hours":{"label":"Construction hours","value":"Construction noise that disturbs is banned on any day before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. (no separate Sunday or holiday rule). The Director of Engineering and Development may approve work outside those hours if applied for at least 48 hours ahead.","short":"7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 8.1, 8.2, 8.3","quotes":["No person in the City shall make Construction Noise on any day before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. which disturbs, or tends to disturb","Director of Engineering and Development, who may, at their sole discretion, give approval in writing","at least 48 hours prior to the intended commencement of construction"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_limits":{"label":"Other limits","value":"No decibel limit. Banned: engine brakes (except in an emergency); animal or bird cries that unduly disturb the neighbourhood; public address systems or megaphones without a City permit. Exemptions: emergency work, City, provincial and utility maintenance, emergency vehicles, and noise normal to a lawful trade in commercial or industrial zones.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 7.2, 9","quotes":["use an engine brake of any kind","allow an animal or bird under the control of, or owned by the person, which by its cries or sounds unduly disturbs the peace","operate any form of public address system in the City, including megaphones or voice amplification equipment, without first obtaining a permit","Lawfully carrying on a trade or industry at a commercial, industrial or light industrial zoned area"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"contact_day":{"label":"Who to call, business hours","value":"Use the \"Report a Bylaw Infraction\" form on merritt.ca (category Noise), or call Bylaw Services at 250-378-4224 ext. 216 (bylaw@merritt.ca). Give your name and address; City Hall is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/","title":"Report a Bylaw Infraction, City of Merritt","section":"Report a Bylaw Infraction","quotes":["Report a bylaw concern related to animal control, nuisance complaints such as excessive noise","Your name, address, and details of your request are required."]},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","section":"Directory","quotes":["Bylaw Services | Phone: | 250-378-4224 ext. 216 | Email: | bylaw@merritt.ca"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"contact_after_hours":{"label":"Who to call, after hours","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_published","note":"The City page does not state an after-hours bylaw or noise line.","sources":[]},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: $200 for disturbing noise or sound (s. 7.1) or construction noise outside permitted hours (s. 8.1) ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 after 28 days). Animal or bird noise: $100 ($75 early; $125 late).","short":"Notice $200 ($150 if paid in 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"Schedule A, Good Neighbour Bylaw","quotes":["Cause or permit noise or sound 7.1a $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 No","Make construction noise outside of 8.1 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 No","Allow an animal or bird to cry or make 7.2b $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 No"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"City of Merritt Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (Part II, Noise Regulation).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This Bylaw shall be cited as “City of Merritt Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":1,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nSection 7 of the [Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf) says no one in the City of Merritt may make, cause or allow noise or sound, on a highway or anywhere in the City, that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood or people nearby. Owners and occupiers must not let their property be used that way. The bylaw sets no fixed quiet hours and no decibel limit, so enforcement depends on whether the noise disturbs others.\n\n## Rules\n\n- **Construction noise** that disturbs is banned on any day before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. There is no separate Sunday or holiday rule. The Director of Engineering and Development may approve work outside those hours if you apply at least 48 hours ahead.\n- **Animals:** animal or bird cries that unduly disturb the neighbourhood are banned.\n- **Engine brakes** are banned, except in an emergency.\n- **Public address systems or megaphones** need a City permit.\n- **Exempt:** emergency work, City, provincial and utility maintenance, emergency vehicles, and noise normal to a lawful trade in commercial or industrial zones.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- To complain, use the Report a Bylaw Infraction form (category Noise) or call Bylaw Services at 250-378-4224 ext. 216. Give your name and address.\n- The City page does not state an after-hours bylaw or noise line. For crimes or emergencies call the RCMP (911, or 250-378-4262 non-emergency).\n- Bylaw notices under [Bylaw 2424](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf): $200 for disturbing noise or construction noise outside permitted hours ($150 if paid within 14 days, $250 after 28 days); $100 for animal or bird noise ($75 within 14 days, $125 after 28 days).","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-2387-2024-Consolidated.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw 2387, 2024 (PDF), City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/","title":"Report a Bylaw Infraction, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"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."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/noise-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/noise-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/noise-rules.json"}}