Noise Rules in Portugal: Quiet Hours, Building Works and Complaints
Portugal's General Noise Regulation sets night hours, limits on renovation work and the fines for breaking them. Here is how it plays out in a Lisbon apartment building.
Under Portugal’s General Noise Regulation (Regulamento Geral do Ruído, Decree-Law 9/2007), the police can order neighbor noise to stop immediately between 23:00 and 07:00; during the day they can set a deadline for it to stop. Noisy renovation works inside homes may only run on working days between 08:00 and 20:00.
In Lisbon, home and street noise is a matter for the PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública, Portugal’s urban police) and, for bars, events and licensed activities, the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (Lisbon City Council). Rules below are as of November 2026, based on the regulation and DECO PROteste’s August 2026 summary of it.
What are the quiet hours in Portugal?
The regulation splits the day into three periods, and night is 23:00 to 07:00. What changes at night is how the police can act on neighbor noise (ruído de vizinhança): music, parties, shouting, animals or appliances in a home.
| Period | Hours | What police can do about neighbor noise |
|---|---|---|
| Day (diurno) | 07:00 to 20:00 | Set a deadline for the noise to stop |
| Evening (entardecer) | 20:00 to 23:00 | Set a deadline for the noise to stop |
| Night (noturno) | 23:00 to 07:00 | Order the noise to stop immediately |
No sound measurement is needed for a neighbor-noise complaint. The question is whether the noise is disturbing given the time and place, and the officers who attend decide what to order.
When can neighbors do building works?
Renovation, remodelling or conservation work inside residential buildings can run on working days from 08:00 to 20:00 without a special noise licence. Noisy work at weekends, on public holidays and outside those hours is not allowed unless it is urgent.
- The person responsible must post a notice in a visible common area, such as the entrance hall or lift, with the expected duration of the works and, where possible, the noisiest period.
- Urgent repairs, such as a burst water pipe, can be done at any time.
- Noisy temporary activities near housing, such as building sites and street works, are banned from 20:00 to 08:00 on working days and at any time on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, unless the Câmara issues a special noise licence (licença especial de ruído).
Are bars, festivals and street parties exempt?
They need licences to run late. Restaurants, bars, gyms, concerts and street events fall under the Câmara Municipal, which sets opening hours and issues the special noise licences that let events run late. During Lisbon’s June festivities, for example, the city licenses street parties and music well past 23:00.
If a bar or venue is the problem, the PSP can attend at the time, but the lasting fix sits with the Câmara, which can order noise reduction, change opening hours or, in serious cases, close the venue temporarily. Our guide to Santos Populares in Lisbon covers the festival period.
How do I complain about a noisy neighbor in Lisbon?
Start with the neighbor if you can, then the building, then the police. In practice:
- Talk to the neighbor or leave a polite note with the times the noise happens.
- For repeated problems in a flat building, ask the building administrator (administração do condomínio) to mediate, and raise it at the condominium assembly; the building’s rules (regulamento do condomínio) can add house rules on quiet and on common areas.
- If noise continues at night, call the PSP. In an emergency, call 112; for a non-urgent noise call, use the number of your local PSP station.
- For noise from a business or event, file a complaint with the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa through its online channels, and keep the reference.
- Keep a log with dates, times and short recordings in case the matter goes further.
If the noisy flat is a short-term rental, the Câmara also oversees the local lodging (alojamento local) registration; see our guide to short-term rental rules in Lisbon.
What are the fines?
Breaking the noise rules is an environmental offence (contraordenação ambiental). For the minor category that covers neighbor noise and out-of-hours works, DECO PROteste lists fines for individuals of €200 to €2,000 when negligent and €400 to €4,000 when intentional, as of 2026. Companies face higher amounts, up to €36,000 for intentional offences.
Fines are set by the authorities after a report, not by the officer on the spot. Unlicensed or out-of-hours works can also be ordered to stop immediately.
What if I am the tenant and the landlord does the works?
The same hours apply to everyone, including landlords and building owners. If works in your building break the hours or have no posted notice, raise it with the administrator first and then the PSP or the Câmara. Disputes about repairs inside your rented flat are covered in our guide to tenant rights in Portugal.
Bottom line
The 23:00 line matters most: after it, the police can stop neighbor noise on the spot; before it, they can only set a deadline. For bars and events the PSP calms the night, but only a written complaint to the Câmara can change opening hours or licences, so file one when the problem repeats.
FAQ
Can my neighbors drill on Saturday?
Noisy renovation work inside residential buildings is limited to working days, 08:00 to 20:00. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays it is only allowed for urgent repairs.
Do I need proof to call the police about noise?
No measurements or prior evidence are needed for a neighbor-noise complaint. A log of dates and times helps if the problem continues.
Is barking a dog neighbor noise?
Yes, noise from animals in a home counts as neighbor noise under the regulation. The same rules on night hours and police orders apply.
Who handles noise from a bar downstairs?
The PSP can respond at the time, and the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa handles licensing, opening hours and lasting measures. Complain to both if it happens often.
