Norfolk short-term rental noise rules.
Norfolk asks vacation rentals to keep interior decibel meters in the main gathering rooms that notify you when they detect excessive noise. Here's what the city expects, in plain English, with a link to the code for each point.
At a glance
- Noise monitor
- Vacation rentals must keep interior decibel meters in the home's main gathering rooms that notify the operator when they detect excessive noise. Homestays, where the owner lives on site, don't need them.1
- Records
- Recordings from the required exterior security cameras must be kept for 30 days after a stay and shared with City staff on request. No retention period is set for decibel-meter data.1
- Response time
- Signs inside and outside the property must name an emergency contact who can respond on site within 20 minutes.1
- The law
- The Norfolk Zoning Ordinance's short-term rental standards, summarized on the City's Short Term Rentals page.1
How Alertify helps
How Alertify covers each point.
Alertify helps you meet Norfolk's decibel meter rule. It's an indoor decibel monitor that notifies you when sound stays above your threshold. The exterior security cameras the City also requires need a separate system.
Real-time alerts.
Alertify notifies you when sound stays above your threshold, so you can check in early.
Unlimited days of record.
The rules set no retention period for decibel data, but every reading is kept if you need it.
Early notice.
Know the moment sound rises, so you can respond well within the City's 20 minutes.
Decibels only.
No audio, no video. Your guests can relax.
FAQ
Norfolk noise rules, answered.
Do Norfolk short-term rentals need a noise monitor?
Vacation rentals do. They must keep interior decibel meters in the main gathering rooms that notify the operator of excessive noise. Homestays, where the owner lives on site, don't need them.
How quickly must someone respond?
Your posted emergency contact must be able to respond on site within 20 minutes.
Do I need to keep records?
Exterior security camera recordings must be kept for 30 days after a stay. The rules don't set a retention period for decibel-meter data.
Sources
- Short Term Rentals (STRs) (City of Norfolk)norfolk.gov