Neighbor noise is more complicated than construction noise: the applicable standard depends on the type of noise, when it occurs, and how the complaint is handled. Here is what the law says and how to use it.
The legal standard: what counts as illegal noise
NYC Noise Code § 24-218 prohibits "unreasonable noise" from residential premises. There is no single decibel number for neighbor noise. The standard is contextual and depends on the circumstances, including the type, source, duration, and timing of the noise.
The Noise Code applies around the clock, but some provisions set measurably lower limits between 10 PM and 7 AM — the exact applicable rule depends on the type and source of the noise.
| Time | Standard |
|---|---|
| 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM | Stricter — some Noise Code standards are lower during these hours |
| 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM | Noise must be unreasonable to constitute a violation |
Who to call
For ordinary apartment-to-apartment complaints involving a neighbor's music, parties, TV, or voices, NYC311 generally routes the complaint to NYPD. Enforcement can be more difficult if the noise has stopped before responding officers arrive, so file the complaint while the noise is occurring.
Other types of noise — commercial establishments, mechanical equipment — may be handled by DEP or another agency. When in doubt, file through 311 and the system routes it appropriately.
Select: Noise — Residential for apartment-to-apartment noise, or Noise — Animal for a barking dog.
Check what your building already looks like
Pull up your building on Weverit before escalating. Buildings with repeat noise complaints appear in the 311 data on the building report — you can see whether this is a pattern and whether the landlord has responded. A building where the same unit has generated 14 noise complaints in 12 months is a different situation than a one-time party.
What your neighborhood sounds like, by the numbers
New Yorkers filed 437,334 residential noise complaints to 311 in the past 12 months. 46.5% of them were filed between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM — during the period when several NYC Noise Code standards impose stricter nighttime limits. The three ZIPs with the most complaints: 10456 (Morrisania/Melrose), 11214 (Bath Beach/Bensonhurst), 10468 (Kingsbridge/Norwood). Source: NYC 311 Open Data, Weverit analysis.
If 311 doesn't solve it
Multiple 311 complaint numbers from the same address create an enforcement record. If the noise is chronic, document every incident: file a new 311 complaint each time and keep your own log with date, time, and description.
If the noise comes from a tenant who is violating their lease, the landlord has the right — and potentially the obligation — to enforce the lease's noise provisions. A written complaint to your landlord, dated, with a request for a written response, creates a paper trail.
Three things to document
First, record the noise on your phone with the timestamp visible.
Second, file a 311 complaint and save the service request number. File for every incident, not just the worst one.
Third, keep a log: date, start time, description, end time. If this reaches Housing Court, a log of 23 incidents is evidence. "It happens all the time" is not.
Sources: NYC Administrative Code § 24-218; NYC Noise Code, Title 24, Chapter 2; NYC311 — Noise from Neighbor: portal.311.nyc.gov
Buildings with 311 noise complaints on record
Ranked by 311 noise complaints in the past 12 months, from reports computed between June 28, 2026 and September 5, 2026.
- 34-42 80 StreetQueens B+
- 34-41 79 StreetQueens B+
- 545 West 141 StreetManhattan F
- 543 West 159 StreetManhattan F
- 629 West 142 StreetManhattan A
- 100-11 40 RoadQueens A
- 546 West 162 StreetManhattan B+
- 142 West 139 StreetManhattan F
- 2254 Adam C Powell BoulevardManhattan D
- 3885 BroadwayManhattan F
