The law on silence in St. Petersburg in 2021 (the official text in the current version can be downloaded at the end of the article) sets standards at night, as well as during the daytime. Earlier, amendments to the law for repair work were adopted. The text of the document stipulates how much noise you can make and how much you can’t drill or make repairs in the apartment. The legally approved regime of silence in St. Petersburg on weekends and on weekdays, with modifications, requires mandatory implementation.
Loud music makes it difficult to sleep
Legal act in Russia
The country adopts legislative acts at the federal level to protect every citizen on certain issues. This is the law 52-FZ, which protects the right of citizens to peace and quiet. Article 23 directly establishes that noise levels in residential buildings and premises should not exceed the standards established by sanitary rules.
Drilling walls with a hammer drill
It is worth immediately emphasizing that, in addition to this, the same SanPiN 2.1.2.2645-10 (section 4) stipulates that the all-Russian night time should be considered the interval from 23 to 7 o’clock.
But regions can change it by adopting their own local laws.
The same sanitary rules establish permissible noise levels. The maximum noise in an apartment building (MCD) should not exceed:
- 55 dB during daytime;
- 45 dB at night.
In the courtyard, in the area adjacent to the apartment building:
- 70 dB during the day;
- 60 dB at night.
Sounds of repairs at night on Saturday
In addition to the fact that legislators in regions have the right to change the intervals of day and night time, they have the right to impose local fines for violations of regulations and excessive noise. By introducing administrative responsibility to ensure the peace and quiet of citizens, legislators also provide for some exceptions in the law.
Difficult Aspects
The Quiet Law of 2021 does not establish a quiet hour. This is despite the fact that such a break for sleep and rest during the day is simply necessary for children living in apartment buildings. Elderly people also need it. Moreover, proposals for its adoption have been received repeatedly. But this point has not yet been enshrined in law.
Often people do not understand where to complain if noise occurs during prohibited hours. The situation is complicated by the fact that employees of the law enforcement committee, and not representatives of the police, are authorized to draw up such protocols. But if your neighbors are noisy at night, then you need to call the police. If neighbors violate the law on silence on a regular basis, then you can write a statement against them to the local police officer. If the violation comes from a legal entity, the complaint is sent to Rospotrebnadzor.
How much noise can you make in an apartment in St. Petersburg?
According to the law, night time in St. Petersburg is defined as the period from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. At this time, you cannot make noise in apartments or on the street (in the courtyards of apartment buildings). In the text of Art. 8 of St. Petersburg Law No. 273-70 stipulates actions that are prohibited from being done at night. According to the list of laws, at night you cannot:
- turn on stereo systems, radios, televisions, radios loudly both in an apartment building and in vehicles;
- sing, knock, shout;
- set off fireworks, set off firecrackers (an exception is made on New Year's Day from 23:00 on December 31 to 4:00 in the morning on January 1);
- make repairs, drill, perform loading and unloading, construction work.
- carry out any noisy work that disturbs the silence.
During the daytime
On weekends and holidays
The law on silence in its text increases the ban on noise in the apartment on weekends and holidays from 8 to 12 hours. Thus, it turns out that in an apartment building you can make noise:
- On weekdays – from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- On weekends and non-working holidays - from 12 noon to 22 pm.
If you are wondering how long you can listen to music loudly in St. Petersburg, then you should refer to the same chart.
Please also note that the quiet hour is not provided for by the law on silence. There is no need to take a noise break during the day at lunch.
It is prohibited to make noise at night
Instead of neighbors - noisy shops
Another source of noise is convenience stores and cafes. If in the projects of modern new buildings the non-residential premises on the first floors are laid out initially and comply with all standards, then in the houses of the old series the appearance of shops may be accompanied by a number of violations, and then their work will interfere with the residents.
From the apartment to the store
To set up a shopping pavilion, office or cafe instead of an apartment on the ground floor, the property must be transferred to non-residential use. Without the consent of the owners, this can only be done if there is a separate entrance to the premises. If it is not there, then the issue is brought to a meeting of residents. It is at this stage that it is easiest to intervene and prevent the emergence of a new source of noise.
A positive decision is made if at least two-thirds of the apartment owners vote in favor. In this case, the results of the meeting must be documented. The owner will also need an approved project for the reconstruction and (or) redevelopment of the transferred premises, which he must strictly follow when performing repairs.
If no meeting was held or the workers clearly deviated from the approved redevelopment plan, then you should contact the Moscow Housing Inspectorate or the prosecutor’s office.
Noise and smells
If you hear noise from refrigeration equipment in the apartment or notice a persistent smell of cooking dishes, then you should write a complaint to Rospotrebnadzor. He will send specialists who will measure the noise level in the apartment and check the serviceability of the hood. Some companies prefer to compensate for the discomfort from noise by installing double-glazed windows in apartments and providing residents with special discounts. If a compromise cannot be found, then a protocol on violations is drawn up, which is then sent to the court.
You can also call independent organizations to measure noise, and then independently file an appeal to the court. The more residents join the complaint, the greater the chance that the judge will agree to recover substantial compensation for moral damage from the violator.
Rospotrebnadzor should be contacted in case of noise from all enterprises, including thermal power plants. This can be done by telephone or through the electronic reception.
Night unloading
The law does not prohibit stores from unloading goods at night, but making noise is prohibited from 23:00 to 07:00. You need to unload the goods from the end of the house, where there are no windows. It is necessary to turn off car engines, eliminate the operation of noisy equipment, loud conversations between employees, and also apply other noise reduction measures. For example, use a rubberized floor covering instead of an iron one, or lubricate creaking doors.
You can complain about noise from loading and unloading operations to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection or to the Moscow Administrative Road Inspectorate (MADI). Applications are accepted both in writing and through the electronic reception. You can also call the unified information service of the Moscow City Hall by phone: +7.
Night gatherings
Sometimes in the evenings, noisy groups gather near the shops, disturbing residents with loud conversations, music and even fights. It will not be possible to measure such noise with instruments, so it is worth calling the local police officer or the police on duty.
In addition, a dubious outlet can be asked to check for compliance with the law prohibiting the sale of alcohol at night.
Until when can you make repairs in an apartment in St. Petersburg and drill
It is necessary to make a reservation that the law on silence in St. Petersburg in 2021, as amended, does not regulate repair work in a separate schedule. Apartment renovations can be done:
- On weekdays – from 8 to 22 hours.
- On weekends - from 12 to 22 hours.
Late in the evening
On non-working holidays in the morning (from 8 to 12) it is also forbidden to carry out repairs, drill with a hammer or drill, or carry out construction, loading, or noisy work that disturbs the peace of citizens.
We also note that the law does not provide for a quiet hour for repairs and noisy drilling of walls.
Article 38
In the legislation on silence, Article 38 also regulates the nuances of repairs and noisy work.
It states that any repair or construction work in an apartment building, when it is carried out during the daytime and lasts more than 1 hour, must be agreed upon with a person who is authorized by the meeting of residents or appointed by the management company, HOA, or housing complex.
Playing a musical instrument
When the work schedule is not agreed upon in St. Petersburg, according to the legislation on silence, the person who violated the rules may be subject to a monetary penalty. The fine in this case will be (thousand rubles):
- for a citizen – 1–3;
- official – 5–10;
- legal entity – 10–30.
Who is making noise and where to complain
The main sources of noise in cities are considered to be airplanes, trains, cars and construction sites.
Transport
The sound of a plane taking off can reach 140 decibels. Therefore, noise barriers are installed along airports, and aircraft takeoff and landing routes do not pass over houses. However, with the introduction of helipads in the skies over the capital, helicopters can be seen (and heard) every now and then. If air transport interferes, you can complain about it to the capital’s Rospotrebnadzor department by phone or through a public reception.
During the construction of railways, subway lines and highways today, noise barriers and noise reduction systems are installed, “quiet” rails and silent trains are being developed. If even modern windows cannot protect your apartment from road noise, then you should contact the electronic reception desk of the capital’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. Specialists are required to review the appeal and respond to it within 30 days. You can also complain to the unified information service of the Moscow City Hall by phone: +7 (495) 777-77-77.
Construction is no reason to make noise
Construction workers can only carry out noisy work from 07:00 to 23:00. If this requirement is violated, you can safely complain to the Department of Natural Resources.
Garbage removal
You need to complain about noisy garbage collection at night to the Association of Administrative and Technical Inspections (OATI). This can be done by contacting the electronic reception or sending a letter by mail.
Renovation next door
Since 2015, new rules for carrying out repair work in residential buildings have been in force in the capital. Knocking, sawing and buzzing on Sundays and public holidays is now prohibited. On weekdays and Saturdays, repairs can be carried out from 09:00 to 19:00 with a quiet hour break from 13:00 to 15:00.
The only exception is for new buildings: for a year and a half after the completion of the house, residents can make repairs during daylight hours without interruption.
In addition, from 23:00 to 07:00 you cannot listen to loud music, sing or play musical instruments in the apartments. You will have to give up moving furniture, dancing and active games with animals or children, so as not to disturb the neighbors below.
If your neighbors’ renovations or noisy gatherings constantly drag on until late, then you should call the local police officer or call the police. Employees will conduct a preventive conversation with violators and, if necessary, draw up a protocol.
You can also contact the police if the source of noise is in the entrance, in the yard or at a nearby construction site.
When neighbors knock a lot and clearly break walls, you can contact the Moscow Housing Inspectorate and check the legality of such repairs. To do this, you need to personally bring the application to one of the territorial divisions of the inspectorate or send it by email. You can contact the online reception or meet in person with the heads of district offices.
If you are planning to start renovations yourself, we advise you to meet with your closest neighbors and discuss the time and days on which noisy work is planned. It is also worth warning neighbors about upcoming noisy holidays. This method will avoid their dissatisfaction and find a compromise solution for everyone.
Exceptions in legislation
The standards specified above are not taken into account when we are talking about exceptions prescribed in regional legislation. These include:
- Elimination of emergencies and accidents at life support facilities.
- Special operations of security forces.
- Religious holidays.
- City festivities and holidays.
- Coordinated sporting events.
- Loading and removal of snow in winter.
Such actions and events will not be considered a violation of silence standards.
Renovation in a new building
Exceptions to the General Rules
These rules and liability do not apply to cases where noise is caused by:
- with crime prevention;
- with the prevention or elimination of accidents, emergencies;
- with carrying out urgent and urgent work;
- with religious, sports, cultural events (agreed with the authorities);
- with loading and removal of snow.
Read about silence laws in neighboring regions:
- in the Leningrad region;
- in the Republic of Karelia.
Monetary penalties
Violation of the silence legislation will entail the imposition of a monetary penalty in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offences. The fine for shouting, loud music, noisy chants will be (thousand rubles):
- For a citizen - 0.5–5.
- Officials - 25–50.
- Legal entity - 50–200.
For individuals who have violated the law in this manner for the first time, the possibility of a warning is provided.
For those individuals who do not know that fireworks and firecrackers cannot be set off at night, the fine will be 1-5 thousand rubles. For other categories of violators, the amount of the monetary penalty will be what is specified in the list above. Here, warnings are no longer provided for by law.
Neighbors knocking
Carrying out repairs or unloading materials during hours prohibited by the law on silence will entail more serious penalties (thousand rubles):
- Individuals - 3–5.
- Officials - 25–50.
- Legal entities - 250–500.
When noisy construction is carried out during the quiet period at night, the fines increase even more, even in a new building. They are reflected in the table (thousand rubles).
| Private owners | 5 |
| Management | 25–50 |
| Firms, enterprises | 5000–1000 |
Fines
If noise restrictions were violated in St. Petersburg due to playing loud music, singing at night, or shouting, then the following sanctions are imposed:
- Individuals – from 500 to 5000 rubles.
- Officials – from 25 to 50,000 rubles.
- Legal entities – from 50 to 200,000 rubles.
If a citizen begins to set off fireworks and explode firecrackers at night, then a fine of 1000-5000 rubles will be imposed for this. For others, the same penalties are provided as described above. It should be noted that in the previous paragraph it is possible to get away with preventive measures. This is only a monetary penalty.
If unloading, loading or repairs are carried out at a time prohibited by law, the punishment will be even more severe:
- Individuals – from 3000 to 5000 rubles.
- Officials - from 25,000 to 50,000 rubles.
- Legal entities – from 250,000 to 500,000 rubles.
If individuals start repairs at night, they will be punished with a fine of 5,000 rubles. Responsible persons will have to pay 25,000 - 50,000 rubles, and organizations - 500,000 - 1,000,000 rubles.
