Noise Ordinances in Sedona, AZ

Every city handles noise ordinances a little differently. In Sedona, Arizona, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Aircraft Noise

Sedona's noise ordinance carves aircraft noise out of its enforcement scheme entirely. SCC 8.25.030(A) lists 14 exempt activities, and noise created by aircraft is one of them, so the city's decibel limits and civil penalties in Chapter 8.25 do not reach airplanes or helicopters overhead.

Key details: Status: Exempt from city noise regulations. Governing section: SCC 8.25.030(A)(8). City enforcement: None for aircraft noise itself. Total exemptions listed: 14 activities in SCC 8.25.030(A). Ordinance date: Ord. 2021-08, adopted 11-9-2021.

There is no municipal violation for aircraft noise under Chapter 8.25 because the activity is exempted outright, not merely subject to a higher decibel ceiling. A resident cannot obtain a civil citation, the $2,500-per-day penalty under SCC 8.25.070(A), or a habitual-offender misdemeanor charge for aircraft overflight noise, since those enforcement tools attach only to noise sources that are not listed among the SCC 8.25.030(A) exemptions.

The rules around aircraft noise in Sedona lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Decibel Limits

Sedona caps neighborhood noise at 50 dB(A) overnight and 60 dB(A) by day in residential zones, measured at the complainant's property line, with looser limits in commercial and industrial areas. Exceeding the standard for more than five minutes in a residential zone is a citable violation.

Key details: Residential night limit: 50 dB(A), 10 p.m.-7 a.m.. Residential day limit: 60 dB(A), 7 a.m.-10 p.m.. Commercial limit: 65 dB(A) at all hours. Industrial day limit: 70 dB(A), 7 a.m.-10 p.m.. Exceedance window: 5 min residential, 15 min commercial/industrial.

A person who creates noise exceeding the community noise standards is subject, under SCC 8.25.070(A)(1), to a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per offense, with each day of continuing violation counted separately. Anyone found responsible for three or more civil noise violations within 24 months becomes a habitual offender under SCC 8.25.070(A)(2), facing a class 1 misdemeanor charge in Sedona Municipal Court punishable by up to six months in jail or a $2,500 fine, plus a mandatory minimum $500 fine per count and a six-month bar from obtaining a temporary use permit under SLDC 8.4(D).

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound

Sedona bans playing a radio, stereo or musical instrument from a public street or right-of-way loud enough to carry 50 feet during the day, tightening to 25 feet after 10:00 p.m. SCC 8.25.040(G) sets the distance thresholds regardless of decibel measurement.

Key details: Daytime audibility limit: 50 feet, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.. Nighttime audibility limit: 25 feet, 10 p.m.-8 a.m.. Covers: Radios, stereos, boom boxes, instruments. Location covered: Public streets, property, rights-of-way. Sound trucks/loudspeakers: Banned outright from vehicles, SCC 8.25.040(B).

Violating the public-place amplified sound limits in SCC 8.25.040(G) or the vehicle-mounted amplifier ban in SCC 8.25.040(B) is a civil violation under SCC 8.25.070(A)(1), carrying a penalty of up to $2,500 per offense with each day treated separately. Three or more such violations within 24 months makes the offender a habitual offender under SCC 8.25.070(A)(2), exposing them to a class 1 misdemeanor charge, up to six months in jail, and a mandatory minimum $500 fine per count.

Vehicle Noise

Sedona requires every motor vehicle to run a working muffler and bans cutout or bypass devices that defeat it. Compression-release engine braking that adds noise beyond what the vehicle would otherwise produce is also unlawful, except for public safety vehicles.

Key details: Muffler: Required at all times, good working order. Cutouts/bypass devices: Prohibited outright. Engine brakes: Banned if noisier than without device. Exempt: Public safety vehicles. Moving noise limit (heavy, over 6,000 lbs): 88-92 dB(A) at 50 feet.

A muffler, cutout, bypass or unlawful engine-braking violation under SCC 8.25.040(C)(2) or (C)(3) is a civil violation under SCC 8.25.070(A)(1), punishable by a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per offense, with each day of continuing violation counted separately. A driver found responsible for three or more such violations within 24 months is a habitual offender under SCC 8.25.070(A)(2), facing a class 1 misdemeanor charge, up to six months in jail, and a mandatory minimum $500 fine per count.

Barking Dogs

Sedona bars domesticated or caged animals from barking, howling or making similar noise for more than five minutes continuously or 15 minutes intermittently. SCC 8.25.040(F) judges barking by duration, not by measured decibel level.

Key details: Continuous barking limit: 5 minutes maximum. Intermittent barking limit: 15 minutes maximum. Covers: Domesticated or caged nonfarm animals. Decibel standard: Does not apply to animal noise. Civil penalty: Up to $2,500 per offense.

A dog or other animal that barks or howls beyond the five-minute continuous or 15-minute intermittent limit puts the owner in violation of SCC 8.25.040(F), enforced as a civil violation under SCC 8.25.070(A)(1) with a penalty of up to $2,500 per offense and each day of continuing violation counted separately. An owner responsible for three or more such violations within 24 months becomes a habitual offender under SCC 8.25.070(A)(2), facing a class 1 misdemeanor, up to six months in jail, and a mandatory minimum $500 fine per count.

Construction Hours

Sedona bars construction work outside set daily windows, generally 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. near homes, but extends the window from May 1 through October 15 to as early as 4:00 a.m. for concrete pours. A city permit can authorize different hours.

Key details: General hours near homes: 6 a.m.-7 p.m., Mon-Sat. Summer concrete window: 4 a.m. start, May 1-Oct 15, weekdays. Commercial/industrial start: 5 a.m., away from residential zones. Permit authority: Community development department. Civil penalty: Up to $2,500 per day.

Construction work performed outside the permitted hours in SCC 8.25.050(B) without an authorizing permit is a civil violation under SCC 8.25.070(A)(1), carrying a penalty of up to $2,500 per offense with each day of continuing violation treated separately. Under SCC 8.25.050(D) and (E), the director can revoke a construction noise permit or issue a written stop-work order for noncompliance, and a permit denial or revocation can be appealed to the city council at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Quiet Hours

Sedona bans loud, disturbing noise in residential areas between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and separately outlaws any unnecessary or offensive noise in those areas at any hour if it disturbs a neighbor's peace. Unlike most of Sedona's noise code, a violation of this residential rule is a criminal class 1 misdemeanor, not a civil fine, carrying up to $2,500 and six months in jail.

Key details: Quiet hours: 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.. Maximum fine: $2,500 per offense. Maximum jail term: 6 months. Charge classification: Class 1 misdemeanor. Enforcing agency: Police chief / code enforcement.

A conviction under SCC 8.25.060 is a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $2,500, up to six months in jail, or both, and each day the noise continues is charged as a separate offense. The police chief and code enforcement officers enforce the chapter, and SCC 8.25.070(C) lets them seek voluntary compliance through a warning, notice or education before pursuing a citation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Sedona's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Sedona's noise ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Sedona is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Sedona's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.