Noise from Specific Sources in James City County, VA (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated James City County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Bar & Nightclub Noise
James City County's Noise Ordinance singles out amplified sound at restaurants, bars, coffee shops and cafes in the county's mixed use zoned districts. Under section 15-20(e)(2)a, that sound becomes a violation once it is plainly audible 50 feet from its source between midnight and 7:00 a.m. The county administrator's designated officers enforce the rule, and civil penalties climb sharply for repeat violators within a 180-day window.
James City County Bar and Nightclub Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 15-20(e)(2)a
(2)Mixed use zoned districts. The following act, among others, is declared to be plainly audible noise in violation of this section, but such enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive:a.Amplified sound at restaurants, bars, coffee shops, cafes, etc. The using, operating, or permitting the playing, using, or operating of any instrument, machine, or device for the producing or reproducing o...
Low-Frequency Bass Limits
James City County's noise ordinance defines 'plainly audible' to specifically cover bass. Sec. 15-20(c) states that the detection of bass reverberations alone is enough to make a sound plainly audible, so a subwoofer or stereo felt through walls or across a property line can violate the ordinance even without distinguishable words or music.
Bass and Low-Frequency Noise Rules in James City County
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 15-20(c)
Plainly audible. Any sound that can be detected by a person using his or her unaided hearing faculties. Specific words or phrases need not be discernable. The detection of bass reverberations is sufficient to constitute a plainly audible sound.
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