If you’ve ever been kept awake by a neighbour’s late-night party or found yourself wondering whether that leaf blower at 6:30 a.m. is really allowed, you’re not alone. Noise complaints are one of the most common concerns in any city, and the City of Calgary is no exception. Whether you’re a homeowner trying to enjoy some peace and quiet, a contractor starting building works or just curious about what’s actually allowed, Calgary’s noise bylaw can help you understand your rights and responsibilities.

Quiet Hours and Regulated Timeframes

Calgary’s Community Standards Bylaw (Bylaw 23M2023, Part 9) for general neighborhood noise sets specific “night-time” quiet hours during which excessive noise is prohibited. Quiet hours officially begin at 10:00 p.m. each night:

• Weekdays (Monday–Saturday): Quiet period from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
• Sundays & Statutory Holidays: Quiet period from 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

During these nighttime hours, stricter noise restrictions apply, and certain noisy activities are not allowed at all. The bylaw explicitly prohibits using specific equipment and devices at night in residential areas.

This includes equipment like lawn mowers or motorized garden tools, such as leaf blowers, during night hours, power tools outdoors (outside of any building) at night, as well as an outdoor speaker system within 150 metres of a home at night. Other noise-making devices like a model aircraft with combustion engines and non-emergency snow removal machines are also restricted during the night period.

Permissible Noise Levels

The Calgary Community Standards Bylaw sets specific decibel (dB) limits for noise during both daytime and nighttime hours, with stricter limits in place overnight to protect residents during designated quiet hours.

These noise regulations define what is considered acceptable versus excessive noise from neighbouring properties. For continuous noise, meaning steady or ongoing sounds measured over a one-hour period, the limits are as follows:

• Daytime (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.): Must not exceed 65 decibels (dBA)
• Night-time (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays): Must not exceed 50 dBA

Examples of continuous noise include the constant hum of air conditioners or music playing at a steady volume. These sounds must remain below the allowed sound level limits of 65 dBA during the day and 50 dBA at night to stay in compliance with the bylaw.

For non-continuous noise, which is defined as sporadic or short bursts of sound measured over a 15-minute period, the bylaw allows slightly higher decibel limits than for continuous noise. The limits are as follows:

• Daytime (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.): Must not exceed 85 dBA
• Night-time (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays): Must not exceed 75 dBA

Examples include short bursts of sound like hammering, power tool use, or loud music playing intermittently. While these noises are tolerated at higher levels than continuous sounds, they must still stay within the 85 dBA daytime and 75 dBA night-time limits to comply with the bylaw.

The bylaw also specifically limits low-frequency bass noise for outdoor music events. Bass sound must not exceed 85 dBC (measured in the C-weighted scale for bass) for outdoor concerts​. This rule is to prevent excessively loud bass from music that can travel through the ground and walls.

In practical terms, 65 dBA is about the level of a normal conversation or laughter, while 50 dBA is more like a quiet conversation or background music. So, during night hours, noise audible to neighbours should be very minimal. If a neighbour’s music, party, or equipment produces sound exceeding those levels (and thus likely heard next door), it is deemed an “unacceptable” noise level under the bylaw. The goal is that noise should not disturb others, especially at night.

How to File a Noise Complaint

Calgarians can report loud noise or music by using the City’s 311 service through several methods:

• Phone: Call 311 from within Calgary (or 403-268-2489 from outside Calgary) to reach the City’s complaint line.
• Mobile App: Use the 311 Calgary app to submit a noise complaint.
• Online: Fill out the online noise complaint form on the City’s website.

When filing a complaint, you’ll be asked to provide your name, contact information, the address of the noise source, and a description of the issue. While your identity remains confidential, anonymous complaints are not accepted, so you do need to identify yourself when contacting 311.

For noise situations requiring immediate attention, such as a loud party that’s currently happening or noise tied to suspected criminal activity, it’s best to contact the Calgary Police Service rather than waiting for a bylaw officer. You can reach the police through the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, or call 911 in true emergencies. Police typically handle noise that’s part of a broader criminal issue (like fights or disturbances), while bylaw officers respond to routine residential noise complaints.

If a noise issue continues after a warning, the City can issue fines. A first offence usually results in a $250 ticket, which is considered the minimum. For repeat violations or more serious disturbances, fines can increase up to $500, but if someone repeatedly ignores requests, further legal action may follow.

Traffic and Vehicle Noise Regulations

Noise from vehicles is governed separately under Calgary’s Traffic Bylaw. The City has specific rules targeting noisy vehicles and car stereos to keep traffic noise in check. It states that any vehicle in motion that emits 96 dB or more of noise (measured with a sound level meter) is considered to be producing “objectionable noise,” which is a violation of the Traffic Bylaw​. In other words, if a car or motorcycle is extremely loud (above 96 decibels as it drives), it can be ticketed for excessive noise. This typically covers vehicles with modified exhausts, revving engines, or loud motorcycles.

Calgary’s Traffic Bylaw also contains provisions that forbid drivers from creating loud, unnecessary noise from a vehicle. This includes blaring car stereos, roaring engines, or squealing tires that disturb others. For instance, loud music booming from a car stereo or vehicles with excessive revving can fall under this rule.

At night, Calgary’s rules align with the city’s quiet hours and prohibit driving in a residential area in a manner that unduly disturbs residents between regular quiet hours.

Enforcement of vehicle noise violations may involve both Calgary Police and City bylaw officers. The Calgary Police Service can address on-road offenses such as racing or extremely loud vehicles under provincial regulations, and the City’s bylaw officers can use sound meters to ticket vehicles exceeding 96 dB. Residents with ongoing vehicle noise concerns, such as a loud car repeatedly speeding down a street, can report this to the City through 311, or call police if it’s an immediate issue.

Is Loud Music After 11:00 P.M. Illegal in Calgary?

Yes, playing loud music that disturbs others after 11:00 p.m.​is generally illegal in the City of Calgary, because it falls within the restricted nighttime hours. There isn’t a separate law specifically mentioning “11:00 p.m.”. Instead, the critical cutoff is 10:00 p.m. So by 11:00 p.m., you are well into the quiet hours.

After 10:00 p.m., any noise that “disturbs the peace” or exceeds the low night-time decibel limit (50 dBA) is prohibited. By 11:00 p.m., Calgary expects neighbourhoods to be quiet. Playing music at high volume after 11:00 p.m. would violate the noise bylaw unless it’s barely audible outside your property.

Notably, during the annual Calgary Stampede or other permitted events, special noise exemptions can extend certain events’ noise curfews, but for normal residential settings, 10:00 p.m. is the rule.

Noise Exemption Permit

A noise exemption permit is a short-term permit that allows one to temporarily break the usual noise rules set by Calgary’s Community Standards Bylaw. This permit gives official permission to public or work-related activities to make necessary noise (like construction noise or amplified sound) during hours that would normally be prohibited.

The permit’s purpose is to ensure that essential or special activities that require making noise (outside permitted hours or above usual noise levels) can occur legally and responsibly.

Common scenarios that typically require a noise exemption:

• Construction Work (After-Hours): Construction or renovation activities that need to occur overnight or before 7:00 a.m., such as overnight road work or early morning concrete pours. By default, construction noise is allowed between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. in Calgary, but work outside those hours usually needs an exemption.
• Special Events and Festivals: Large events such as concerts, festivals, or parades that use loudspeakers, live music, or fireworks beyond the permitted hours. Major public events (especially those with 5,000 or more attendees) are expected to apply for a noise exemption if they exceed normal noise limits.
• Film and TV Productions: Calgary is “film-friendly,” but productions must get a noise exemption permit for noisy scenes, especially at night or in certain downtown areas.
• Concerts and Outdoor Music: Any concert or DJ event outdoors that goes into late evening with amplified sound would need a permit to go past the noise curfew.
• Other Noisy Activities: This can include things like late-night construction-related tasks, use of heavy machinery, or even early morning landscaping with power tools if it is outside permitted times.

On the other hand, ordinary private gatherings are not eligible for noise exemptions. The City does not grant these permits for private social events like backyard barbeques or wedding receptions at a private residence. So if you’re throwing a party at home, you’ll still need to keep the noise down during quiet hours. A noise exemption is meant for more public or work-related activities, not private parties.

If you’re dealing with persistent noise disturbances or need legal advice on how Calgary’s noise bylaws apply to your situation, our team is here to help. Whether you’re a homeowner seeking peace and quiet or a real estate developer, business or corporation looking to stay compliant, we can guide you through your rights and obligations. Reach out to our law firm today.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and should not be considered legal or other professional advice. To get detailed information regarding your specific circumstances, please discuss your situation with a lawyer or other professional. Refer to our Legal Notice  for more details.