Tuku amuamu mō ngā mahi turituri Complain about noise

Report noise from people or parties

Use the Ask Auckland Council assistant to report noise complaints from people or parties.

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:

• calling us again after 30 minutes
• responding to our text message.

Things you should know before you call:

• we will keep your identity private 
• 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)
• the landlord is responsible for noise issues between tenancies they manage except in cases involving loud music or people.

Complaints about different noise types

Construction noise

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

You can complain about construction noise if it is excessive, such as:

• rock-breaking
• jackhammers
• concrete cutting.

Visit Construction and maintenance noise for more information.

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 (above 500ft). 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 (PDF 462 KB)
• 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 issues 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.

Mechanical noise or sound from commercial or industrial properties

Examples of mechanical, industrial or commercial noise could include:

• factory noise
• heat pumps
• pool pumps
• 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 check if there is a breach of the maximum noise levels as set out in the Auckland Unitary Plan (PDF 462 KB).

We will issue a warning if we find a breach of noise levels. If the noise continues, we can issue an abatement notice. An official letter asking for a reduction in the amount of something, or that something should stop. Examples would be dog barking or excessive noise.  

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. This will be done from public or shared areas near the noise source, such as:

• footpaths 
• driveways
• apartment corridors. 

We will not knock or call on arrival.

If you would like to know the result once we complete the assessment, give us your email address when you call us.

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

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 eight days, an enforcement officer and the police may:

• seize the noise-making equipment
• issue a $1000 fine for an individual
• issue a $2000 fine for a company.

Section 16 of the Resource Management Act requires people to keep noise from their property to a reasonable level. For information on excessive noise, see Section 326.