If a neighbor is playing loud music, singing or making a racket in the middle of the night, call 110 while it is happening and have the police come. If the noise continues after the police tell them to stop, the neighbor can be fined up to NT$10,000 under Article 72, subparagraph 2 of the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法): “making noise or disturbing the peace late at night, harming public tranquility, and not heeding a prohibition.” The Noise Control Act (噪音管制法), enforced by the environmental protection department (環保局), covers measurable sources such as factories, businesses, construction work and loudspeaker equipment. For ordinary household sounds such as talking, footsteps or dragging chairs, which are “not continuous or hard to measure,” the law expressly leaves them to the police. Long-running footsteps and everyday noise have to go through the management committee (管委會), mediation by the district office (區公所) or the civil-law route.
Note: Article 72 of the Social Order Maintenance Act was amended on June 11, 2025. The fine is capped at NT$10,000, and “noise or late-night racket” moved to subparagraph 2 (the old version had it in subparagraph 3, and some subordinate regulations and older court rulings still say subparagraph 3). Whether something counts as “harming public tranquility” is decided by the police case by case; hearing a sound does not mean a fine will automatically follow. This article is about everyday household noise that is not from renovation; renovation work, floor impact sound and air conditioner outdoor units have their own articles. For the law itself, rely on the current text in the national laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫).
First work out which kind of noise it is and who to contact
| Type of noise | Main basis | Who to contact |
|---|
| Late-night racket, loud singing, stereo, parties (happening now) | Social Order Maintenance Act, Article 72, subparagraph 2 | Call 110; handled by the local police station (派出所) with jurisdiction |
| Footsteps, jumping, dragging chairs, slamming doors (long-term) | Condominium Administration Act, Article 16, paragraph 1; Civil Code Article 793 | The management committee or the person responsible for management (管理負責人); the district office mediation committee; the courts |
| Interior renovation, hammering and construction | See the separate article | When a neighbor's renovation noise is unbearable |
| Floor impact sound, wood flooring noise problems | See the separate article | Floor impact sound insulation rules explained |
| Noise from equipment such as air conditioner outdoor units | See the separate article | What to do if your air conditioner outdoor unit is too loud and gets reported |
After you call the police: how Article 72 is applied
Article 72 provides that a person who does any of the following is fined up to NT$10,000:
- Subparagraph 1: getting drunk and causing trouble, shouting abuse or making a commotion in a public place or a place the public may enter, and not heeding a prohibition.
- Subparagraph 2: making noise or disturbing the peace late at night, harming public tranquility, and not heeding a prohibition.
- Subparagraph 3: without proper reason, sounding a police whistle or other alarm signal without authorization.
Note three elements:
- What counts as noise: Article 11 of the regulations on handling cases that violate the Social Order Maintenance Act (違反社會秩序維護法案件處理辦法) defines the noise meant here as “sound that falls outside the control standards of the noise control laws, is not continuous or is hard to measure, and is enough to harm the tranquility of others' lives.” In other words, no decibel reading is needed and the sound does not have to exceed environmental standards.
- Harming public tranquility: the provision requires harm to the “public's” tranquility. Whether that is met is judged by the police case by case on the scene; the loudness, the time of day, how long it lasts and how many households are affected are all taken into account (the latter part is this article's own reading).
- Not heeding a prohibition: the law says “not heeding a prohibition,” so normally the police come, tell the person to stop, and the penalty only comes into play if the person ignores that, or does it again after the police leave.
Procedure for the penalty: Article 72 carries only a fine. Under Article 43 of the same Act, the police agency can issue a written disposition directly after questioning. A person who objects can, under Article 55, file an objection within 5 days from the day after the disposition is served, through the police agency that issued it, to the summary division of the district court (地方法院簡易庭).
Why the environmental protection department usually won't take household noise
Article 3 of the Noise Control Act defines “noise” as “sound that exceeds the control standards.” The regulated targets are the factories, entertainment venues, business premises, construction projects and loudspeaker equipment listed in Article 9, plus the activities that Article 8 bars during announced times and in announced areas: setting off firecrackers, folk activities such as temple festivals, weddings and funerals, and commercial operations that use powered machinery.
Article 6 of the same Act states: “Those who make sounds that are not continuous or are hard to measure but are enough to harm the tranquility of others' lives are dealt with by the police agency under the relevant regulations.” Sounds such as a neighbor talking, walking, children running or someone singing late at night mostly come and go and are hard to capture when an inspector arrives, so they go to the police. Only measurable sources such as restaurants, KTV venues, construction sites and machinery fall within the environmental protection department's remit. Whether using amplification equipment at home for a long time counts as “loudspeaker equipment” under the Noise Control Act is for the environmental protection department to decide case by case; this article suggests that when it is happening late at night, you should still call 110 first.
Apartment buildings: what the management committee can do
Article 16, paragraph 1 of the Condominium Administration Act says residents may not arbitrarily engage in “making noise, vibration, or other similar acts.” When a resident breaks this rule, under paragraph 5 of the same Article the person responsible for management or the management committee must stop the act or handle it under the building's bylaws (規約); if the resident still does not comply, the matter can be reported to the competent authority of the special municipality or county (city). Under Article 47, subparagraph 2, the authority can impose a fine of NT$3,000 to NT$15,000 and order improvement within a set time, and if there is no improvement by then, it can keep imposing fines continuously.
In practice this means: first get the management committee to issue a written order to stop and keep a record, so that you have a basis later if you report to the authority or go to mediation or court. In an old apartment building with no management committee, you can contact the person responsible for management, or go straight to the mediation and civil routes below.
Long-term noise: mediation and Civil Code Article 793
Civil Code Article 793: a landowner may prohibit the “intrusion of noise, vibration and other similar things” from another person's land, building or other structure, except where the intrusion is slight or is considered reasonable given the shape of the land and local custom. So slight sounds that are unavoidable in daily life cannot necessarily be prohibited; the closer to late night, the more continuous and the louder the noise, the more room there is to press your claim.
District office mediation: under the Township and County-Administered City Mediation Act (鄉鎮市調解條例), every district office in Taipei and New Taipei has a mediation committee (Article 35 applies the Act to the districts of special municipalities). Civil disputes can be brought by written or oral application (Article 10), but mediation can only go ahead with the other side's consent (Article 11). Mediation costs nothing apart from inspection fees (Article 23). Once mediation succeeds and the court approves it, a civil mediation has the same effect as a final judgment, and the parties may not sue again over that matter (Article 27).
110 or 1999: which to use and what to prepare
| Situation | Suggested channel | Notes |
|---|
| Noise happening late at night and you need someone to come and stop it | 110 | A Social Order Maintenance Act matter; the police come to tell the person to stop and to investigate |
| Noise from restaurants, KTV venues, construction sites or equipment | The environmental protection department or 1999 | Measurable sources, covered by the Noise Control Act |
| You want to file a petition or check on the progress of a case | 1999 | In Taipei and New Taipei, 1999 is the city-services petition and referral line, not a line for reporting cases to the police |
| Long-running dispute between neighbors | The management committee; the district office mediation committee | A written order to stop on record; mediation |
For how to call 1999 and how Taipei and New Taipei differ, see what the 1999 citizen hotline can do.
Evidence-gathering suggestions (this article's suggestion, not an official rule): note the date, time and duration of each incident; record audio and video on your phone, trying to capture the time; ask other affected residents to give testimony with you; and keep records of your complaints to the management committee and your police reports. Record from inside your own home or in common areas, and do not intrude into anyone else's home; before installing a surveillance camera at your front door to gather evidence, also find out about the privacy rules.
FAQ
Can I call the police about a neighbor making noise in the middle of the night?
Yes. Late-night racket and loud stereos fall under Article 72, subparagraph 2 of the Social Order Maintenance Act; call 110 and the police will come. If the person keeps going after being told to stop and is harming public tranquility, a fine of up to NT$10,000 can be imposed.
Can I report loud footsteps from the unit upstairs?
The environmental protection department usually cannot handle it under the Noise Control Act, because footsteps are sounds that are “not continuous or hard to measure” (Noise Control Act Article 6). The more workable routes are to have the management committee order it stopped under Article 16 of the Condominium Administration Act, or to go to district office mediation; if the impact sound comes from the flooring material, see the article on floor sound insulation rules.
After what hour does it count as late at night?
Article 72 of the Social Order Maintenance Act does not define what hour “late night” starts; and by the wording of the provision, subparagraph 2 reads “making noise or disturbing the peace late at night,” so the “making noise” part is not limited to any time of day. The key points are whether public tranquility is harmed and whether the prohibition is ignored, judged by the police case by case.
How much is the fine for neighbor noise?
Under Article 72 of the Social Order Maintenance Act it is up to NT$10,000 (amended June 11, 2025). If a resident of an apartment building breaks the noise rule in Article 16, does not comply after the management committee orders it stopped, and is reported to the authority, the fine under Article 47 is NT$3,000 to NT$15,000.
What if I disagree with a ticket from the police?
Under Article 55 of the Social Order Maintenance Act, within 5 days from the day after the written disposition is served, you can submit a written statement of reasons and file an objection with the summary division of the district court, through the police agency that issued the disposition.
Last updated: 2026-11-01
This article was compiled by the SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only; for your own case, contact the local police agency (110) or the mediation committee of your district office in Taipei or New Taipei.
Sources
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Social Order Maintenance Act (amended June 11, 2025; verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): Article 72 fine of up to NT$10,000 and the content of each subparagraph, Article 43 written disposition by the police agency, Article 55 objection within 5 days.
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): amendment history of the Social Order Maintenance Act (verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): Articles 9, 64, 72 and 89 were amended and promulgated on June 11, 2025.
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): regulations on handling cases that violate the Social Order Maintenance Act (amended November 16, 2020; verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): Article 11 definition of noise (the text still refers to Article 72, subparagraph 3 of the Act).
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Noise Control Act (amended December 26, 2025; verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): Article 3 definition of noise, Article 6 sounds that are hard to measure are handled by the police, Articles 8 and 9 regulated targets.
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Condominium Administration Act (amended May 11, 2022; verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): Article 16, paragraphs 1 and 5; Article 47 fines of NT$3,000 to NT$15,000.
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Civil Code Article 793 (verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): intrusion of noise and vibration may be prohibited, and the exception for slight intrusion.
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Township and County-Administered City Mediation Act (amended January 13, 2023; verified 2026-11-01) (in Chinese): Articles 1, 10, 11, 23, 27 and 35: the mediation committee, how to apply, the need for the parties' consent, no fees, the effect of court approval, and application to districts of special municipalities.
