Vancouver noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines
What are the noise rules and quiet hours in Vancouver?
Short answer
On private property in Vancouver, noisy construction normally runs 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Sundays and holidays require an exception permit. City streets, lanes and boulevards have different hours.
Key facts
| General rule | Continuous-sound limits vary with the quiet, intermediate, activity or event zone and time of day. Part 3 separately prohibits specified noises even when the other limits are met.Noise Control By-law No. 6555, Part 2, sections 2.1–2.3, and Part 3, section 3.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wording2.1 In a quiet zone, a person must not make, cause or permit to be made or caused, continuous sound, the sound level of which: (a) during the daytime: (i) exceeds a rating of 55 dBA on an approved sound meter when received at a point of reception within a quiet zone, or 2.2 In an intermediate zone, a person must not make, cause or permit to be made or caused, continuous sound, the sound level of which: (a) during the daytime: (i) exceeds a rating of 60 dBA on an approved sound meter when received at a point of reception within a quiet zone, or (ii) exceeds a rating of 70 dBA on an approved sound meter when received at a 2.3 In an activity zone or an event zone, a person must not make, cause or permit to be made or caused, continuous sound, the sound level of which: (a) during the daytime: (i) exceeds a rating of 60 dBA on an approved sound meter when received at a point of reception within a quiet zone, or (ii) exceeds a rating of 70 dBA on an approved sound meter when received at a point of reception within an intermediate zone or an activity zone; or PROHIBITED NOISES OR SOUNDS Prohibited noises or sounds 3.1 The following noises or sounds are prohibited, despite the fact that such noises or sounds may not constitute a violation of any other provision of this by-law, and a person must not make, cause or permit to be made or caused, any such noise or sound: |
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| Quiet hours | The general nighttime period starts at 10 p.m. and ends at 7 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays or 10 a.m. on Sundays and holidays. For BC Place Stadium, Rogers Arena and a civic plaza in the event zone it begins at 11 p.m. Nighttime sound limits depend on the location and activity.Noise Control By-law No. 6555, Part 1, definitions of daytime and nighttime · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wording“daytime” means: (a) unless otherwise provided in this by-law, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on any weekday or Saturday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on any Sunday or holiday; and (b) in the case of B.C. Place Stadium, Rogers Arena, and a civic plaza in the event zone, from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on any weekday or Saturday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on any Sunday or holiday; "nighttime" means any time not included within the definition of daytime; |
| Construction hours | Private property: 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday, with no Sunday or holiday work without an exception permit. City streets, lanes and boulevards: 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Sundays and holidays.Noise from construction, When construction-related noise is permitted · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wording## When construction-related noise is permitted Construction-related noise is permitted during the following hours: Day | On private property | On city streets, lanes, and boulevards --- | --- | --- Monday to Friday | 7:30am - 8pm | 7am - 8pm Saturday | 10am - 8pm | 7am - 8pm Sunday or holiday (day of) | No construction-related noise permitted | 10am - 8pm Outside of these hours, construction noise is only allowed with a noise by-law exception permit. |
| Other limits | Not confirmed. Checked Noise from construction, Noise Control By-law No. 6555; not found there. |
| Who to call, business hours | Report barking dogs and construction or mechanical noise to the City online. For an idling vehicle call 311. For a car or house alarm call Vancouver Police at 604-717-3321.Manage noise | City of Vancouver, Who to contact about noise, daytime table · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wordingor email Backyard chickens | City of Vancouver | Report online Barking dogs | City of Vancouver | Report online Buskers and entertainers | City of Vancouver | Report online Car alarms | Vancouver Police | 604-717-3321 Construction and mechanical | City of Vancouver | Report online Co-op housing building you live in | Your co-op housing board of directors or building manager | Check your documents House alarms | Vancouver Police | 604-717-3321 Idling vehicles | City of Vancouver | 3-1-1 (Press 1 for parking related concerns) Mitchell Island industry and businesses | Richmond Health Services | 604-233-3147 |
| Who to call, after hours | For an issue normally handled by the City, call Vancouver Police non-emergency at 604-717-3321 after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays or any time on weekends and holidays. Police assist as resources permit.Manage noise | City of Vancouver, Get help with noise concerns after hours · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wording### Get help with noise concerns after hours If the City helps with your noise issue and today is a: * Weekday after 4:30pm * Weekend anytime * Holiday anytime then phone Vancouver Police Department non-emergency at 604-717-3321. The police assist with noise concerns when resources are available. |
| Fine | Not confirmed. Checked Noise from construction, Noise Control By-law No. 6555, Manage noise; not found there. |
| Bylaw | Noise Control By-law No. 6555, consolidated through October 27, 2026.Noise Control By-law No. 6555, Cover and consolidation note · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09Official wording(Consolidated for convenience only to October 27, 2026)BY-LAW NO. 6555 A By-law to regulate noise or sound within the City of Vancouver [Consolidated for convenience only, amended to include By-law No. 14855, 14857,14859,14861,14863,14865,14867,14869, 14871,14873 effective October 27, 2026] |
How it works
How the rule applies depends on the source of the sound. Identify whether the disturbance comes from a work site, equipment, amplified music or another activity before looking for a time limit. The general nighttime period starts at 10 p.m. and ends at 7 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays or 10 a.m. on Sundays and holidays. For BC Place Stadium, Rogers Arena and a civic plaza in the event zone it begins at 11 p.m. Nighttime sound limits depend on the location and activity.
Steps
- Check the activity and hours in Noise from construction. Make a record of the date, start and end times, location and what you could hear. For a recurring disturbance, record each occurrence separately.
- Compare the activity and the day of the week with the applicable provision. When reporting it, explain how it affected you and whether the noise is still happening.
Good to know
- For an issue normally handled by the City, call Vancouver Police non-emergency at 604-717-3321 after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays or any time on weekends and holidays. Police assist as resources permit.
- Report barking dogs and construction or mechanical noise to the City online. For an idling vehicle call 311. For a car or house alarm call Vancouver Police at 604-717-3321.
- Continuous-sound limits vary with the quiet, intermediate, activity or event zone and time of day. Part 3 separately prohibits specified noises even when the other limits are met.
- If you are planning work, check the provision for that activity before arranging deliveries or booking equipment. A construction window alone does not answer a complaint about music or voices.
- Read the applicable provisions in Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (PDF).
The same question in other places
Richmond · Burnaby · North Vancouver · District of North Vancouver · New Westminster · Delta
Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality →
Sources
- Noise from construction (read 2026-11-09)
- Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (PDF) (read 2026-11-09)
- Vancouver municipal office contact information (read 2026-11-09)
- Manage noise | City of Vancouver (read 2026-11-09)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.