Booming stereos, shouting neighbors, rattling jackhammers, even crowing roosters: the varied sounds of the City inspire the majority of calls residents make to the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). But what is an acceptable level of noise? Conversely, what is a disturbance of the peace? The answer to these questions depends on the “ambient” or average noise level of a particular area. Sounds outside this ambient range could be considered a “nuisance” depending on their source and duration. Following are descriptions of common noise issues and the numbers to call to file complaints:

• Building Alarms –– San Francisco requires a license for all alarms systems and imposes a fine for excessive false alarms. If an alarm in your neighborhood seems to be going off repeatedly and unnecessarily — or if you need to register a device for your own building — call the City’s Alarm Ordinance Department at (415) 558-3822.
  
  
• Construction –– If you want to make a complaint about construction noise — and apparently many residents do — first realize that the legal hours of construction are from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, seven days per week. Some construction work may also be allowed at night with a permit. However, if you still feel the din is excessive, you may call the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) at (415) 558-6096 to lodge a complaint. If your irritation stems from street construction, such as excavation, repair etc., call the Department of Public Works at (415) 554-5816.
  
  
• Commercial Aircraft –– Call the San Francisco Airport Commission’s Noise Abatement Center at (650) 876-2219 to make a report about excessively loud commercial planes. See our Airport Noise article for more details.
  
  
• Chronic Noise –– Leave a message with the SFPD’s Noise Abatement Department at (415) 553-1012 to report problems with bars, clubs, restaurants, or other sources of chronic racket.