🔊 Until what time is loud noise and music allowed at night?

With conditions

Quick answer

It depends on the hour and the type of noise, but yes — there is a law, there are set hours, and loud music at night can be fined. Under law no. 9774/2007 “On the assessment and management of environmental noise” (amended by law no. 50/2023), activities with music in open-air settings are allowed until 23:00 on weekdays and until 24:00 on Friday and Saturday. The most common myth is that “there is nothing you can do about a noisy neighbour at night.” Not true — when noise crosses the permitted limits, the State Police steps in for music noise, while the municipality and municipal police handle other noise. Fines under the law run from 1,000 to 50,000 lek (new lek — so not 500,000 old lek), up to suspension or closure of the noise source. Careful: the figure is often heard tenfold higher because people still speak in old lek.

📋 The rules

The legal basis is law no. 9774/2007 “On the assessment and management of environmental noise,” amended by law no. 50/2023.
Activities with outdoor music are allowed until 23:00 on ordinary days and until 24:00 on Friday and Saturday.
The State Police covers music noise above the limit; the municipality and municipal police cover other noise and impose the measures.
Fines are set from 1,000 to 50,000 lek (new lek), up to suspension or closure of the activity causing the noise.
A complaint goes to the police or the municipality; measuring the noise level and recording it provide the proof for a measure.

🔓 Exceptions

In residential and tourist areas, open-air music may be allowed from 11:00 to 24:00, depending on local rules and licence conditions.
A municipality may set its own local rules and fines (for example, in Tirana fines up to 20,000 lek for certain public-order breaches).
Construction work and industrial noise have their own separate rules on hours and limits, distinct from bar music or private parties.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

The consequences are more than a fine. For a venue or activity that repeatedly exceeds the limits, the law allows suspension or closure of the noise source, meaning lost income for the business. For individuals, a private party with very loud music after hours can bring a fine from the municipality or police and, on repetition, tougher measures. The most expensive mistake is psychological: many people hear “a 50,000 lek fine” and translate it into 500,000 old lek, imagining a catastrophic penalty — when in reality the amount is in new lek. On the other hand, those who suffer noise and never complain lose a real right: the law provides for police and municipal intervention, but only if someone triggers it with a request or a call. The proof — the measurement, the record — is what keeps the measure standing.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Until what time is outdoor music allowed?

Under law 9774/2007 as amended, open-air music activities are allowed until 23:00 on weekdays and until 24:00 on Friday and Saturday. After those hours, music above the permitted limit can be fined by the police or the municipality.

Who do I complain to about a noisy neighbour at night?

For music noise above the limit the State Police steps in, while for other noise it is the municipality and municipal police. You can call the police at the moment of the breach or file a written complaint with the municipality, which then triggers an inspection and measurement.

How big is the fine for noise over the limit?

The law provides fines from 1,000 to 50,000 new lek, up to suspension or closure of the noise source. Be careful that the amount is in new lek: “50,000 lek” is not 500,000 old lek, as it is often mistakenly heard.

Do the same hours apply in tourist areas?

Not necessarily; in residential and tourist areas outdoor music may be allowed from 11:00 to 24:00 under local rules. The municipality can set special hours and conditions, so it is worth checking the municipal council decision for your area.

Can a venue be closed because of noise?

Yes, when an activity repeatedly exceeds the noise limits, the law allows suspension or closure of the noise source. This is the toughest measure beyond a fine and is usually applied after repeated complaints and a recorded breach with measurement.

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