Am I allowed to make noise in the evening in Norway?
There is no national law with fixed quiet hours for private homes. Most of it is decided by the Neighbour Act §2, which says you may not unreasonably or unnecessarily trouble a neighbour. Noise is judged against a tolerance threshold that is stricter at night and in quiet residential areas, and higher in city centres. In public, the municipality's police bylaw often requires quiet between 23:00 and 06:00. In a housing co-op the house rules apply, often setting quiet from 22:00 or 23:00 to 07:00, and noisy renovation until around 20:00 on weekdays, not on Sundays. These are house rules and practice, not national law — in a detached house outside a co-op, only the tolerance threshold and the police bylaw apply.
📋 The rules
- No national law on fixed quiet hours in private homes
- Neighbour Act §2: noise judged against a tolerance threshold
- Police bylaws often require quiet in public 23:00–06:00
- Housing co-ops: house rules often 22/23:00–07:00
- Renovation typically until 20:00 weekday, not Sunday
🔓 Exceptions
- For a detached house outside a co-op, only the threshold and police bylaw apply
- In city centres the tolerance threshold is higher than in quiet areas
- Necessary one-off work is generally tolerated
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Breaching the municipality's police bylaw can bring a fine under the Police Act §30, with no fixed rate — the amount is set case by case. Civilly, the Neighbour Act is the sharper tool: a neighbour can demand a stop order under §10 and compensation under §9 if the noise exceeds the tolerance threshold. In a housing co-op, repeated substantial noise can bring a warning from the board and, in the last resort, an order to sell the flat. Complain first to the board, then the police for disturbance in public, or the municipality under the public-health law.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Is there a law on quiet after 23:00?
No, not for private homes — there is no national law on fixed quiet hours. The municipal police bylaw often requires quiet in public between 23:00 and 06:00, and housing co-ops have their own house rules, typically setting quiet from 22:00 or 23:00 to 07:00.
When can I renovate and drill?
Usually on weekdays until around 20:00, until 18:00 on Saturdays, and not on Sundays. These are house rules and practice rather than national law, so in a detached house outside a co-op only the Neighbour Act threshold and the police bylaw set the limit.
Who do I complain to about a noisy neighbour?
First to the board of the housing co-op, which enforces the house rules. For disturbance in a public place you can call the police, and the municipality can follow up persistent noise under the public-health law.
Can a neighbour be evicted for noise?
In a co-op, repeated and substantial noise can bring a warning from the board and, at worst, an order to sell the flat. The threshold is high, and it usually takes repeated, documented breaches before it goes that far.
Must I tolerate ordinary noise from neighbours?
Yes, ordinary living sounds must be tolerated, and necessary one-off work is generally tolerated too. It is persistent, unreasonable noise above the tolerance threshold that the Neighbour Act covers, and that threshold is higher in a city centre than in a quiet residential area.
🔎 Common searches
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