Noise Abatement Ordinance (NAO) (NAO)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 1 Aim and scope
1 This Ordinance is intended to protect against harmful and disturbing noise. 2 It regulates: a. the limitation of exterior noise emissions caused by the operation of new and existing installations in accordance with Article 7 of the Act; b. the designation of building zones and the amendment of land-use plans in areas exposed to noise; c. the issuing of planning permission for buildings with rooms sensitive to noise and lying in areas exposed to noise; d. the soundproofing against exterior and interior noise of new buildings with rooms sensitive to noise; e. the soundproofing against exterior noise of existing buildings with rooms sensitive to noise; f. the determination of the exposure to exterior noise and its rating based on exposure limit values. 3 It does not regulate: a. protection against noise originating from an industrial site as long as this only affects industrial buildings and dwellings within the site; b. protection against infra- and ultrasound. 4 …
Para. 2 let. b — Amended by No I of the O of 25 Feb. 2026, in force since 1 April 2026 (AS 2026 114). Para. 4 — Repealed by No I of the O of 12 April 2000, with effect from 1 May 2000 (AS 2000 1388).
Art. 2 Definitions
1 Stationary installations are buildings, transport facilities, building facilities and other immobile equipment that generate exterior noise during operation. These include in particular roads, railway installations, aerodromes, industrial, commercial and agricultural installations, firing ranges and permanent military firing ranges and training grounds. 2 New stationary installations also include stationary installations and buildings whose use has been completely altered. 3 Emission limitation measures are technical, structural or functional modifications to installations, or measures to redirect, restrict or calm the flow of traffic, or structural measures along the emission path. The purpose of the measures is to prevent or reduce the generation or propagation of exterior noise. 4 Improvements are emission limitation measures for existing stationary installations. 5 Exposure limit values include impact thresholds, planning values and alarm values. These are set according to the no
