Tuku amuamu mō ngā mahi turituri Complain about noise

Call us when the noise is happening so we can take action – day or night.

For noise complaints between 8am and 6pm, we will respond to complaints where the noise has not stopped after 30 minutes.

You will need to inform us again after 30 minutes if the noise is still happening. You can do this by either calling us again after 30 minutes or responding to our text message.

Things you should know before you call:

• your name will not be given out
• noise must be coming from a separate address to yours
• noise rules do not apply to unplanned emergency works, like water mains breaks
• we can investigate noise from parked cars on private property (alarms, car stereos and engine revving)
• noise between tenancies with the same landlord is covered by the Residential Tenancies Act 1996.

Construction noise is specifically permitted during the day. Normal construction activity, such as hammering or sawing timber, is very unlikely to breach construction noise limits.

Complaints can be made if the noise is exceptional, such as from rock-breaking, jackhammers or concrete cutting – but not otherwise.

For more information on when construction noise is permitted, visit Construction and maintenance noise.

We do not control or enforce noise from moving vehicles like cars, trains and aircraft.

You should contact:

• the police about noise from moving vehicles
• KiwiRail about noise from trains and railway crossings.

The Civil Aviation Authority handles noise complaints about aircraft in flight. Auckland Council will handle complaints about aircraft during take-off and landing (below 500ft), except those leaving or arriving at Auckland Airport. This activity has to meet noise limits as defined under the:

• Auckland Unitary Plan
• Hauraki Gulf Islands Plan.

Auckland Airport handles noise complaints for flights taking off or landing at its airport. Visit How to make a complaint to report noise issue for these flights. Auckland Airport does not deal with complaints about flights not operating from its airport.

Use our online feedback form to complain about other aircraft issues, such as helicopter flight paths.

When you make a complaint about excessive noise, we come out, investigate and assess the noise. This is why you need to make a complaint when the noise is happening.

To judge if the noise is excessive or not, we will consider:

• volume
• the time of day
• the type of noise.

Excessive noise may include noise from parties, people or music. For quick response and assessment, we do not use measuring equipment to decide if the noise is excessive.

The noise control officer makes a subjective assessment.

If we find the noise is too loud, we may issue an Excessive Noise Direction (END). An END notice lasts for up to 72 hours.

If there are more noise complaints during that time, we will visit the site again to determine if the noise is still excessive.

If we find the noise excessive for a second time within 72 hours, the enforcement officer and the police may seize the noise-offending equipment or issue a $500 fine.

Examples of mechanical, industrial or commercial noise could include:

• construction noise
• a factory or industrial noise
• heat pumps, pool pumps or ventilation fans.

Our Environmental Health Response Team will investigate the noise and may make an assessment by taking a series of noise readings using a calibrated, sound level meter.

This is to establish whether there is a breach of the maximum noise levels as set out in the Auckland Unitary Plan.

If our requests to reduce the noise to a reasonable level are ignored, we can issue an abatement notice and take enforcement action against the offender.

The Resource Management Act requires people to keep noise from their property to a reasonable level. For more information, visit Section 16.

Contact us to learn the permitted noise levels in your area.