Noise Ordinances in Austin, TX (2026)
8 verified noise ordinances for Austin, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Austin's noise code sets a hard nighttime limit for residential zones: no sound equipment may be audible beyond a residence's property line between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m., and it may never exceed 75 decibels at that line at any hour. City Code Sec. 9-2-5 applies to property zoned residential under Sec. 25-2-32(B).
Austin Residential Quiet Hours Run 10 PM to 10 AM
Some RestrictionsAustin City Code Sec. 9-2-5
(A)This section applies to property zoned as residential under Section 25-2-32(B) (Zoning Districts and Map Codes).(B)A person may not use sound equipment that produces sound audible beyond the property line of a residence in a residential area between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.(C)A person may not use sound equipment audible beyond the property line of a residence in a residential area that prod...
Construction Hours
Austin construction and heavy-equipment noise near homes is confined to 7:00 a.m. through 10:30 p.m. under City Code Section 9-2-3. Aggregate machinery and concrete pours within 600 feet of a residence are banned from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Austin Construction Noise Hours: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Some RestrictionsAustin City Code Sec. 9-2-3 (General Restrictions)
(A) A person may not: ... (2) make noise or play a musical instrument audible to an adjacent business or residence between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; (3) operate a machine that separates, gathers, grades, loads, or unloads sand, rock, or gravel within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. ... (D) Violation of Chapter 9-2 ... [is] chargeable as...
Barking Dogs
Austin City Code Section 3-2-2 bars owners and handlers from keeping any animal that makes frequent or long, continued noise disturbing to a person of normal sensibilities, enforced by Austin Animal Protection through 3-1-1 complaints.
Austin Noisy Animal Rule: No Frequent or Long Barking
Some RestrictionsAustin City Code § 3-2-2 (Noisy Animals)
An owner or handler may not keep an animal that makes frequent or long, continued noise that is disturbing to a person of normal sensibilities.
Leaf Blower Rules
Austin has not banned gasoline-powered leaf blowers and likely cannot enforce one because Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 382 reserves air-quality regulation to the state, while general nuisance preemption under HB 4 limits city authority over equipment performance.
Texas Preemption Blocks Austin Gas Leaf Blower Ban
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 382.113 (Municipal Authority over Air Pollution)
Sec. 382.113. AUTHORITY OF MUNICIPALITIES. (a) Subject to Section 381.002, a municipality has the powers and rights as are otherwise vested by law in the municipality to: (1) abate a nuisance; and (2) enact and enforce an ordinance for the control and abatement of air pollution, or any other ordinance, not inconsistent with this chapter or the commission's rules or orders. (b) An ordinance enac...
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
As the self-proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World, Austin has detailed amplified sound rules in City Code Chapter 9-2. Outdoor amplified music requires a permit, with decibel caps and cutoff times that are stricter in residential areas and around the Red River Cultural District and downtown entertainment zones.
Austin Amplified Music Rules
Some RestrictionsTexas Penal Code Sec. 42.01 (Disorderly Conduct - Unreasonable Noise)
Sec. 42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly: ... (5) makes unreasonable noise in a public place other than a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code, or in or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy. ... (c) For purposes of this section: ... (2) a noise is presumed to be unreasonable if the n...
Aircraft Noise
Austin regulates helicopter noise through its heli-facility permitting law rather than a single decibel cap on individual flights. City Code Sec. 13-1-171 defines 'incompatible noise' by measured decibel thresholds for each type of nearby land use, and the Aviation Department director must deny or condition a heliport or helistop permit under Sec. 13-1-183 if the proposed operation would expose a noise-sensitive area to that incompatible noise.
Austin Heliport Noise Standards
Significant RestrictionsAustin City Code Sec. 13-1-171(B)(19); see also Sec. 13-1-183(A)(2)(c), Sec. 13-1-187
(19)INCOMPATIBLE NOISE means anticipated noise measurement from the operations proposed in an application that, based on noise modeling, noise monitoring of heli-facilities in the past, or the department's noise monitoring of test flights in the vicinity of the proposed location for the heli-facility, would be expected to exceed with unreasonable frequency and/or duration the levels indicated b...
Decibel Limits
Austin City Code Chapter 9-2 establishes decibel limits by zoning district and time of day: 75 dB(A) daytime and 70 dB(A) nighttime in residential, up to 85 dB(A) in commercial, and higher in permitted entertainment districts. Measurements are taken at the property line with Type 1 or Type 2 sound meters.
Austin Decibel Limits
Some RestrictionsTexas Penal Code Sec. 42.01(a)(5), (c)(2) (Disorderly Conduct - Unreasonable Noise)
Sec. 42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly: ... (5) makes unreasonable noise in a public place other than a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code, or in or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy. ... (c) For purposes of this section: (1) an act is deemed to occur in a public place or near...
Vehicle Noise
Austin bans loud vehicle exhaust and engine noise under City Code Sec. 12-1-36, presuming a violation once a vehicle's noise tops 85 decibels after a peace officer has already warned the driver. The rule targets excessive revving, rapid gear shifting, and faulty or missing mufflers.
Austin Sets 85 dB Vehicle Exhaust Noise Rule
Some RestrictionsAustin City Code Sec. 12-1-36
(A)A person may not intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence make, or cause to be made, any loud or disturbing noise or vibration that is offensive to a person of ordinary sensibilities from the discharge into the open air of the exhaust from any motor vehicle, except through a muffler or other device that will effectively and efficiently prevent loud or disturbing nois...
Looking for Travis County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Austin city rules.
Noise Ordinances in Travis County →