From Wikipedia-Noise Regulation
Governments up until the 1970s viewed noise as a "nuisance" rather than an environmental problem. In the United States there are federal standards for highway and aircraft noise; states and local governments typically have very specific statutes on building codes, urban planning and roadway development. In Canada and the EU there are few national, provincial, or state laws that protect against noise. As a result in Canada and the EU, most regulation has been left up to municipal authorities.
Noise laws and ordinances vary widely among municipalities and indeed do not even exist in some cities. An ordinance may contain a general prohibition against making noise that is a nuisance, or it may set out specific guidelines for the level of noise allowable at certain times of the day and for certain activities. Exceptions are generally made for activities considered essential public services such as refuse collection and emergency vehicles.
Most city ordinances prohibit sound above a threshold intensity from trespassing over property line at night, typically between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and during the day restricts it to a higher decibel level; however, enforcement is uneven. Many municipalities do not follow up on complaints. Even where a municipality has an enforcement office, it may be unwilling to do more than issue warnings, since taking offenders to court is expensive. For persistent nuisances, individuals may have to seek damages through the civil courts. Many jurisdictions, such as New York City and Chicago, Illinois authorize police to impound cars with loud stereos and to hold the cars as evidence until the citation has been adjudicated.
Many conflicts over noise pollution are handled by negotiation between the emitter and the receiver. If this has no effect, the next step is typically a phone call to the non-emergency police number, and filing of a written report. Clear documentation, repetitive complaints, getting neighbors involved, and forming a Neighborhood Watch can be effective at obtaining enforcement, as can contacting one's police chief, city manager, mayor or local area representative. Noise pollution often persists because only five to ten percent of people affected by noise will lodge a formalcomplaint. Many citizens are not aware of their legal right to quiet and do not know how to register a complaint.