Noise Ordinances in Dallas, TX (2026)
7 verified noise ordinances for Dallas, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Dallas Chapter 30 of the Code of Ordinances prohibits loud and disturbing noises. Garbage collection is prohibited between 10 PM and 7 AM within 300 feet of residential use. The Deep Ellum and Uptown entertainment districts have special noise considerations.
Dallas Noise Ordinance
Light RestrictionsTexas Penal Code Sec. 42.01 - Disorderly Conduct
Sec. 42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly:(1) uses abusive, indecent, profane, or vulgar language in a public place, and the language by its very utterance tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace;(2) makes an offensive gesture or display in a public place, and the gesture or display tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace;...
Construction Hours
Dallas Code Section 30-2 restricts construction near residential use to 7 AM-7 PM weekdays and 8 AM-7 PM on Saturdays and legal holidays. Construction outside these hours is automatically presumed offensive.
Dallas Construction Noise Hours
Some RestrictionsSan Antonio IB-244 Construction Noise Ordinance
Construction Noise Ordinance CREATED BY: February 28, 2022 Field Services Division – Inspections Section Purpose: As a customer service initiative, the Development Services Department (DSD) created this Information Bulletin 244 to provide information regarding the changes to Chapter 21 Section 21- 52(a)(6) and Chapter 10 Section 10-6(o) relating to the Construction Noise Ordinance. Noise Ordina...
Barking Dogs
Under Dallas Code Section 30-2, continuous barking, howling, or crowing by an animal for more than 15 minutes near a private residence is presumed offensive noise.
Dallas Barking Dog Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsTexas Penal Code Sec. 42.092 - Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals
Sec. 42.092. CRUELTY TO NONLIVESTOCK ANIMALS. (a) In this section:(1) "Abandon" includes abandoning an animal in the person's custody without making reasonable arrangements for assumption of custody by another person.(2) "Animal" means a domesticated living creature, including any stray or feral cat or dog, and a wild living creature previously captured. The term does not include an uncaptured ...
Leaf Blower Rules
Texas state law broadly preempts local regulation of small off-road engines, and Dallas has not adopted a gas-powered leaf blower ban. Operators must instead comply with Dallas Chapter 30 noise rules limiting amplified sound during quiet hours, but no fuel-type restriction applies.
Texas Preempts Local Gas Leaf Blower Bans in Dallas
Few RestrictionsTexas Health & Safety Code Chapter 382 - Clean Air Act
Sec. 382.0191. IDLING OF MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) In this section, "idling" means allowing an engine to run while the motor vehicle is not engaged in forward or reverse motion.(b) The commission may not prohibit or limit the idling of any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 8,500 pounds that is equipped with a 2008 or subsequent model year heavy-duty diesel engine or liquefi...
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
Dallas Code Section 30-2 presumes playing radio, TV, or musical instruments at a volume that disturbs persons in nearby dwellings to be offensive. Entertainment districts like Deep Ellum have elevated ambient noise but still must comply with Chapter 30.
Dallas Outdoor Music and Amplified Sound Rules
Light RestrictionsTexas Penal Code Sec. 42.01 - Disorderly Conduct
Sec. 42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly:(1) uses abusive, indecent, profane, or vulgar language in a public place, and the language by its very utterance tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace;(2) makes an offensive gesture or display in a public place, and the gesture or display tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace;...
Decibel Limits
Dallas City Code Chapter 30 prohibits loud and disturbing noises offensive to ordinary sensibilities. Section 30-1 makes it an offense to create any loud and disturbing noise or vibration in the city. Industrial operations must also comply with zoning-based noise standards under Chapter 51A, which separates industrial uses from residential districts. The code does not set specific decibel limits but relies on a reasonable-person standard.
Dallas Industrial & Commercial Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsTexas Penal Code Sec. 42.01 - Disorderly Conduct
Sec. 42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly:(1) uses abusive, indecent, profane, or vulgar language in a public place, and the language by its very utterance tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace;(2) makes an offensive gesture or display in a public place, and the gesture or display tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace;...
Vehicle Noise
Dallas prohibits operating a car stereo or other sound equipment in a vehicle so loudly that the sound or vibration unreasonably disturbs another person's peace, quiet, or comfort. The rule lives in the city's noise chapter and is a fineable offense.
Dallas Loud Car Stereo and Vehicle Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsDallas City Code Sec. 30-2(13)
The following loud and disturbing noises and vibrations are presumed to be offensive to the ordinary sensibilities of the inhabitants of the city: ... (13) The operation of sound equipment, including a car stereo, in a motor vehicle in such a manner that the noise is so audible or causes such a vibration as to unreasonably disturb the peace, quiet, or comfort of another person.
Looking for Dallas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Dallas city rules.
Noise Ordinances in Dallas County →