Along with a range of NSW Government agencies, Sutherland Shire Council is responsible for regulating excessive neighbourhood noise.

Please carefully read the information on this page to determine who is responsible for your noise issue, and the rules relating to the issue that concerns you.

In addition, we expect that residents who are concerned about a noise issue have first attempted to resolve the issue with whoever is making the noise, before raising the issue with us.

Report a noise issue to us (excluding barking dogs)

Find out more information about reporting barking dogs

Frequently asked questions

Sutherland Shire Council will investigate:

  • Neighbourhood household noise, including power tools, loud music, air conditioners and pool pumps
  • Barking dogs
  • Small factories and backyard workshops
  • Commercial premises, including noise from ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
  • Noisy motor vehicles on private property
  • Road construction on Council roads
  • Building construction
  • Concert noise
  • Security and car alarms.

Complaints about noise from:

  • Late night parties should be directed to the NSW Police (call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444)
  • A vehicle on a public road should be directed to the NSW EPA or NSW Police
  • A licensed premises (such as pubs, clubs, small bars, restaurants and other premises that sell alcohol) should be directed to Liquor and Gaming NSW.
  • Road construction on State roads should be directed to Transport for NSW on 131 700
  • Noise from vessels should be directed to Transport for NSW

The factors we will consider include:

  • The nature and volume of the noise
  • The relevant regulations
  • The time of day
  • Whether the noise is harmful, or unreasonably uncomfortable, to anyone (outside the premises from which it is emitted)

Any other relevant circumstances.

If it considers noise to be offensive, Council has broad powers to issue a Prevention Notice or a Noise Control Notice.

Time limits for noise from residential premises

The Protection of the Environment Operations (Noise Control) Regulation 2026 provides specific time restrictions on the use of potentially high noise nuisance causing items.

The following provides a guide to when noise is not permitted to be heard inside a habitable room of a neighbouring residential premises, for some common noise types. A habitable room is not considered to be a garage, storage area, bathroom, laundry, toilet or pantry.

  • Saturday, Sunday or public holiday - before 8:00am or after 11:00pm
  • Any other day - before 7:00am or after 11:00pm.

However, the above time limits do not apply if the Bureau of Meteorology’s website has issued a severe or extreme heatwave warning for the weather district in which the residential premises are located, at the time the air conditioner was in use.

  • Friday, Saturday or the day preceding a public holiday - before 8:00am and after midnight
  • Any other day - before 8:00am and after 10:00pm.

  • Saturday, Sunday or public holiday - before 8:00am or after 9:00pm
  • Any other day - before 7:00am or after 9:00pm.

In addition to the above time restrictions, the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act) prohibits the emission of offensive noise at any time.

Noise is considered offensive by reason of its level, nature, character or quality or the time at which it is made, or if it:

  • is harmful to (or is likely to be harmful to) a person who is outside the premises from which it is emitted
  • interferes unreasonably with (or is likely to interfere unreasonably with) the comfort or repose of a person who is outside the premises from which it is emitted.

Other useful information

Most building and development sites are subject to approval conditions restricting noisy works to:

  • 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday
  • 8am to 5pm Saturday; and
  • No work on Sunday or public holidays.

Any construction noise that occurs within those hours is acceptable.

Further to this, some night works may be approved by Council or the NSW Government for large stage works that take longer than the approved hours permitted, such as pouring and finishing large concrete floor slabs.

Generally most developers will apply for an extended hours permit, which Council accesses and notifies the surrounding properties usually at least 72 hours before the work.

Other out-of-hours work that may occur is essential work (including roadworks and electricity and gas connections) that cannot be conducted during the day.

Community members may be able to learn about approved hours for construction and building activity by searching for the property address via our DA Tracker.

If the application required the lodgement of a Development Application and an assessment by Council staff, then the construction hours should be available within the approval conditions.

If the application has been approved by a private certifier as a Complying Development Certificate, then you may be able to find out more information by lodging an informal information access request with us.

Separately, if the development is considered State significant and therefore has been assessed by the NSW Government, then you may be able to find out more at the NSW Government’s Major Projects Register .

In September 2026, we commenced a 12-month trial of a Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) in the Cronulla town centre, which includes a range of centre-specific noise regulations. Find out more here.