Excessive noise can cause a nuisance to neighbours and interfere with their sleep and daily activities. If loud enough, it could also affect their health.
Some noise complaints are handled by us. Other complaints are handled by the Queensland Police Service and other authorities.
For problems with noisy neighbours, such as party noise, loud music and rowdy behaviour, please contact Policelink online or call 13 14 44 or 07 3055 6206.
For information about noise from barking dogs and other animals, please visit Report a problem – Animals
Air-conditioning & refrigeration equipment
On-the-spot fines may be issued if noise from air-conditioning or refrigeration exceeds:
- 5 decibels above the background noise level between 7am and 10pm
- 3 decibels above the background noise level between 10pm and 7am.
For more information, see our fact sheets:
To report excessive noise from air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment, please either:
- report noise from public land online
- report noise from private property online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from public land
Report noise from private property
Amplifier devices
Amplifiers include loud-hailers, megaphones, public address systems, remote telephone bells and repeater bells.
Amplifiers do not include radios and music systems. For excessive music noise, contact Queensland Police via Policelink online or call 13 14 44 or 07 3055 6206.
If noise from an amplifier can be clearly heard at a neighbouring premises during the following hours, the owner or operator of the device may receive an on-the-spot fine:
- between 10pm and 7am on a business day
- between 6pm and 8am on any other day.
On-the-spot fines may be issued when noise from an amplifier is greater than 10 decibels above the background noise level:
- between 7am and 10pm on a business day
- between 8am and 6pm on any other day.
For more information, see our fact sheet:
Amplifier devices(PDF, 200KB)
To report excessive noise from amplifiers, please either:
- report noise from public land online
- report noise from private property online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from public land
Report noise from private property
Building work noise
Building work noise can be reported depending on whether the activity is occurring within regulated hours (between 6:30am - 6:30pm, Monday to Saturday) or outside of those approved hours.
Building work noise currently occurring outside the approved hours
If the building work noise is currently occurring outside of the regulated hours please call 07 5667 5978 for the matter to be investigated immediately by the after hours building noise compliance team. Please refer below for the approved days and hours.
Building work noise outside the approved hours (noise has ceased)
If the noise has ceased and is not required to be actioned immediately please complete the form below to have the matter reviewed and actioned within the next 5 business days.
Report noise outside approved hours
Building work noise is regulated by the State Government's Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EPA). According to the EPA, a person must not carry out building work in a way that makes an audible noise:
- before 6.30am or after 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and
- not at all on a Sunday.
'Audible noise' is noise that can be clearly heard by an individual who is an occupier of an affected building.
A permit is required for building work outside of normal hours. For more information, visit After-hours building and delivery work.
We restrict the noise that can be emitted from activities like rock breaking and earthwork.
If you believe that construction noise is causing a noise nuisance:
Noise from maintaining a public or state controlled road
Noise from maintenance works on a public or state controlled road is exempt from the noise regulations under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 Schedule 1 Part 1, 2 Government activities and public infrastructure at any time.
To report after-hours noise while the noise is occurring, please call us on 07 5667 5978. We will investigate your complaint as soon as possible.
For more information, please see our fact sheet:
Building work(PDF, 69KB)
Building work noise within the approved hours
To report excessive noise from building work, please call 07 5667 5978. Refer to the After-hours building and delivery work page for guidelines regarding the permitted noise.
Please ensure your use of the above information complies with the Information Privacy Act 2009
Commercial boarding kennels
Commercial boarding kennels must operate at acceptable noise levels and must not cause a nuisance to neighbours.
To report a problem with noise from commercial boarding kennels, please either:
- report noise from commercial boarding kennels online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from commercial boarding kennels
Indoor venues
Indoor venues used for sport, music, cultural or religious activities must not cause a noise nuisance to neighbours.
On-the-spot fines may be issued if noise exceeds these levels:
- 5 decibels above the background noise level between 7am and 10pm
- 3 decibels above the background noise level between 10pm and midnight
- any audible noise between midnight and 7am.
To report a noise from an indoor venue, please either:
- report noise from indoor venues online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from indoor venues
To report noise associated with:
- amplified music venues within the Southport Special Entertainment Precinct, please see the section below
- other entertainment venues or events, please see Entertainment venues or events
Amplified music venues (Southport Special Entertainment Precinct)
We regulate noise from amplified music venues within core areas of the Southport Special Entertainment Precinct.
These venues must operate under our local laws and the conditions of their licence.
Subordinate Local Law No. 16.9 (Amplified music venues) 2022 prescribes a reduction of music emissions in this precinct after:
- midnight on Friday and Saturday
- 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday.
If you believe an amplified music venue is not operating under the local law, please report the problem to us. You can either:
Industrial activities
If noise from industrial activities exceeds the permitted levels, we may issue a show cause notice or issue a fine.
If you are concerned about noise levels from industrial activities, please report the problem to us and we will investigate. Please either:
Open-air events
Open-air events, including concerts, festivals, sporting competitions and races, must not exceed these noise levels:
- 70 decibels between 7am and 10pm
- 10 decibels above the background noise level or 50 decibels (whichever is lower) between 10pm and midnight
- no audible noise between midnight and 7am.
We may issue on-the-spot fines if noise exceeds these levels.
These activities are exempt from noise level limits:
- educational buildings used for non-commercial activities
- entertainment events issued with a licence or permit by council or a liquor licence from Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation if they have noise level conditions
- sites that have a development approval with noise level conditions.
If you are concerned about noise levels from open-air events, please report the problem to us and we will investigate. Please either:
Power boats & personal watercraft on land
Noise from power boats and personal watercraft (jet skis) must not be clearly audible from a neighbouring property between these hours:
- before 7am or after 7pm on a business day or Saturday
- before 8am or after 6.30pm on a Sunday or a public holiday.
If noise from a power boat or personal watercraft on land can be clearly heard, the owner or operator may be issued with an on-the-spot fine.
For more information, please see our fact sheet:
Operating power boat engines(PDF, 373KB)
To report noise from power boats or personal watercraft on land, please either:
- report noise from power boats or personal watercraft online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from power boats or personal watercraft on land
Power boats & personal watercraft on waterways
Power boat sports must not be conducted in our waterways for a continuous period of more than two minutes between these hours if their noise is audible:
- before 7am or after 7pm on a business day or Saturday
- before 8am or after 6.30pm on a Sunday or a public holiday.
For more information, please see our fact sheet:
Power boat sports on waterways(PDF, 69KB)
To report noise from power boat sport or personal watercraft on waterways, please either:
- report noise from power boat sports or personal watercraft online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from power boat sports or personal watercraft on waterways
Pumps
Pumps include swimming pool pumps, spa blowers and water pumps. On-the-spot fines may be issued if noise from a pump exceeds the following levels:
- 5 decibels above the background noise level between 7am and 7pm
- 3 decibels above the background noise level between 7pm and 10pm
- no clearly audible noise between 10pm and 7am.
For more information, see our fact sheet about:
Pumps(PDF, 69KB)
To report noise from pumps, please either:
- report noise from public land online
- report noise from private property online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from public land
Report noise from private property
Race tracks
If you have a problem with excessive noise from a race track, follow these steps:
- Talk to the person responsible for the track to discuss the problem. Give them some time to solve the problem.
- If talking to the person responsible does not solve the problem, please call us on 07 5667 5988.
Regulated devices (e.g. lawnmowers, power tools)
Regulated devices include:
- power tools
- compressors
- generators
- impacting tools such as hammers and nail guns
- lawn mowers
- leaf blowers
- chain saws
- drills
- sanders.
On-the-spot fines may be issued if noise can be clearly heard at premises between these times:
- 7pm and 7am from Monday to Saturday
- 7pm and 8am on Sunday or a public holiday.
For more information, please see our fact sheet:
Regulated devices(PDF, 69KB)
To report noise from regulated devices, please either:
- report noise from public land online
- report noise from private property online
- call us on 07 5667 5988.
Report noise from public land
Report noise from private property
Vehicles, motorbikes & other traffic noise
Other noise nuisance