Neighborhood disorders: noises created by abnormal behaviors
Verified 24 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Are you bothered by neighborhood noises in your building or near your house? These noises may be made by a person, animal or facility. They can be punished if they constitute an abnormal disorder manifesting by day or night. We tell you what steps need to be taken to stop these nuisances.
Neighborhood disorders refer to nuisance or abnormal discomfort caused by a neighbor. This disorder is sound where it results from noise from work or domestic noises.
These may be noises caused by:
- An individual (or several), tenant or owner of a dwelling (scream, heels, singing, party...)
- One thing (musical instrument, hi-fi system, TV, DIY or gardening tool, firecracker, heat pump, wind turbine, household appliances...)
- An animal (screaming, barking).
For a noise to be recognized as an abnormal neighborhood disorder, it must go beyond the ordinary disadvantages of community life.
Noise nuisance can be punctual (e.g. a party) or repetitive (barking, loud music), day (7am to 10pm) and night (10pm to 7am).
Three main criteria are taken into account when assessing noise abnormality:
- The intensity of the noise, i.e. the seriousness of the disorder it causes
- The duration and repetition, a punctual nuisance being less often considered a disorder than a recurrent discomfort
- And the local context (urban or rural, professional or residential). For example, noise considered tolerable in a dense urban environment may be considered abnormal in a quiet neighborhood.
Please note
Neighborhood disorders can also be caused olfactory (smell), visual (e.g. obstruction of sight).
Vidéo - Neighborhood - Noise disorders and nuisances
Title of the video: Can we make noise safely before 10pm? Misconception
(SMS conversation between two friends)
- What time do we start the party on Friday?
- 6pm! My neighbors might complain if we make too much noise
- I must warn them
- But no, no need!
- You don't have to warn them, we have the right to make as much noise as we want until 10pm!
(Misconception)
Can you really make a safe noise before 10 pm?
(Answer)
No.
Contrary to popular belief, you can't bother your neighbors at any time of day or night.
You can be punished if you make noise too often, too long or too loud, for example at a party.
Likewise, you are responsible for the noise caused by your pet, your child or the use of your household or audiovisual appliances. If your neighbors file a complaint, you will be fined up to €450.
In addition, prefectural or municipal decrees may prohibit certain noises at certain times in your department or in your commune. These include, for example, noises caused by DIY work.
So, if you're planning a party during the day or at night, it's best to warn your neighbors so they can tolerate the noise.
(Key points)
- You can not disturb the tranquility of others neither day nor night
- You can be punished if you make noise too often, too long or too loud
- In case of complaint: fine of up to €450
Some prefectural or municipal by-laws may prohibit certain noises at certain times
FYI
At the level national, it does not exist no precise time slots during which noise is systematically permitted or prohibited, except for nocturnal noise between 10pm and 7am. However, mayors can take arrested municipal to set time slots during which certain noises are prohibited or regulated in order to preserve public tranquility.
Several preliminary steps need to be taken in successive stages:
1Go see the author of the nuisances
First of all, it is necessary to go to the occupant of the dwelling (owner or tenant) from where the noise comes to tell him about your discomfort and ask him to stop the nuisance.
2If the nuisances persist, send a simple mail
If he doesn't act, then you need to send him a simple letter. This letter should recall:
- The cause of the disorder (e.g. barking a dog or noises from a DIY tool)
- The discomfort caused by this noise in your daily life (including damage to your tranquility or health)
- The need to put an end to the nuisance suffered.
It is recommended that you gather as much evidence as possible to support your mail.
3If the nuisance continues, send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt
In case of inaction of the author of the disorder, you must send him a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt on giving notice to cease the discomfort caused by noise.
This letter repeats the information contained in the previous letter.
You can also use a template letter to write your mail:
Mail template to report a neighborhood disorder to the tenant
The owner is responsible for the behavior and disturbances caused by its tenant. Therefore, if the troublemaker is a tenant, you must also send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the owner of the dwelling to ask him to take all necessary and useful measures to stop the nuisance.
You can rely on a template letter:
Mail template to report tenant neighborhood disorder to landlord
4In case of a condominium, notify the trustee
Moreover, if the dwelling is in condominium, it is recommended to check the condominium rules. This document may contain rules, in particular the prohibition of disturbing the tranquility of the occupants by any noise of any kind. The clauses of the condominium by-law apply to the owners and tenants of the building.
In the event that the author of the disorder does not comply with the condominium regulations, you must notify the trustee, by any means (e-mail, letter, etc.), of the nuisances suffered. The trustee is the guarantor of compliance with the condominium by-law. He must therefore take all necessary steps to preserve the tranquility of the occupants of the building.
5Warn the mayor
Finally, it is also recommended to check whether there is a municipal (decision of the mayor) or prefectural (decision of the prefect) decree concerning noise.
Some by-laws may, for example, impose schedules to use gardening or DIY tools (lawnmower, chainsaw, drill, etc.).
If the perpetrator of the disorder does not comply with the obligations of the municipal or prefectural decree, it is necessary to inform the mayor by any means.
Call on a commissioner of justice
You can call on a commissioner of justice (formerly judicial officer) to establish one or more statements.
The report of findings is an official document drawn up by a commissioner of justice. This document contains an objective and impartial description of the situation. It may be accompanied by documents (photographs, audio recording, video, etc.) and measurements taken by the Commissioner of Justice (e.g. sound level measurement).
This document will be useful for referring the matter to the judge.
Who shall I contact
Call the police or gendarmerie
You can call the police or the gendarmerie to have the nuisance noted. Their intervention consists in making a noise assessment and verbalizing the author if the noise nuisance is proven.
FYI
The noises or offensive or nocturnal noisedisturbing the tranquility of others, are punished by a fine of €450 The person making the noise may be confiscated of the thing that was used or was intended to make the noise or the thing that is the product of the noise.
This offense may also be the subject of a flat-rate fine for an amount of:
- €68 if the person making the noise pays the fine immediately or within 45 days of the finding of offense (or the sending of the offense notice if it exists)
- €180 after that period.
You can also drop a handrail or lodge a complaint.
Warning
A person who has been threatened or insulted on false grounds of noise nuisance may also file a complaint for harassment.
In addition, a person who falsely informs the police or gendarmerie risks a conviction for slanderous denunciation. The maximum penalty is 5 years in prison and €45,000 of a fine. The person against whom the false denunciation is made may lodge a criminal complaint against the perpetrator. The latter may also be prosecuted by the public prosecutor.
For find an amicable solution with the author of the noise if the nuisances persist despite your various letters, you have the possibility to resort to:
- One conciliator of justice (free approach)
- Or to one mediator (paid approach)
- Or to a participatory procedure (paid procedure with recourse to a lawyer).
Who shall I contact
FYI
This amicable approach is mandatory to be able to make, subsequently, a appeal to the court.
What to ask the judge?
If all the previous steps have not been successful, you can take legal action to ask:
- The cessation of nuisances, possibly under on-call duty
The judge will order any measures he deems necessary to stop the disturbance such as, for example, soundproofing the housing. In this case, it will seek to preserve or restore your living environment.
- THEcompensation of harm suffered due to abnormal neighborhood disorder
The judge may order the troublemaker to pay you damages to repair or compensate the damage suffered. This repair concerns the material damage (for example, the depreciation of a property) and the non-material damage (e.g. disturbance of tranquility).
- The termination of the lease the tenant causing the nuisance.
This action allows the syndicate of co-owners or at all co-owner to obtain the eviction of the tenant, author of the noises.
Reminder
It is mandatory to have recourse to a conciliator of justice or a mediator or a participatory procedure in order to be able, subsequently, to appeal to the court.
What is the competent jurisdiction?
The jurisdiction varies:
- For a action for interim relief or for a dispute the amount of which is indeterminate or greater than €10,000, it's the court of law the place where the competent noise-maker resides.
It is mandatory to be accompanied by a lawyer.
Who shall I contact
- For a dispute whose amount is less than or equal to €10,000, the local court (formerly the district court) of the place where the person making the noise resides shall have jurisdiction. In this case, the lawyer is not mandatory.
You can use a form to file a complaint with the court.
Application for referral to the judicial or local court
- For an action to terminate the lease, it is the judge of the litigation of the protection of the location of the immovable which is competent.
A form is available for referral to the protection litigation judge.
Request for referral to the protection litigation judge
It is recommended to be represented by a lawyer, even if representation is not mandatory.
What documents should be provided to the judge?
For any request, it is mandatory to provide proof of the reality disorder and sound abnormal character. To do this, you must gather as many documents as possible to support your application, including:
- Letters exchanged with the author of the noise
- Minutes of findings drawn up by a Commissioner of Justice
- Testimonies, petitions
- Receipt of complaint or filing of handrail
- Medical certificate if your health has deteriorated due to these nuisances.
Any evidence is admissible provided it is collected fairly. For example, you can't photograph or film your neighbor in their home without their knowledge.
Infographie - Neighborhood disorders: what steps to take in case of abnormal noises?
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1/ Go see your neighbor
Inform him of the discomfort suffered and find a common solution to put an end to it.
2/ If the nuisances persist
Send him a simple letter asking him to stop the noise pollution.
3/ If the nuisances persist
Send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to give him formal notice to stop the discomfort caused by the noise.
4/ If the nuisances persist
Make an appointment with a conciliator or mediator to find an amicable solution.
5/ In case of failure
Take legal action to request the cessation of the nuisance suffered and/or compensation for the damage.
Namely:
To retrieve evidence, you can:
- Call on a commissioner of justice to ascertain the reality and nature of the disorder in a report of finding
- File a handrail or a complaint with the police station or gendarmerie
- Request testimony and/or have neighbors sign a petition.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Prohibition of harming the tranquility and health of others by noise
Liability ex officio and exemption from liability for abnormal neighborhood disturbance
Noises constituting neighborhood disorder
Fight against noise
Mayor's power over noise
Criminal sanctions in case of noisy or nocturnal noise or noise
Amount of tickets
Lump-sum fine
Deadline for payment of the lump sum fine
Prior Conciliation Required