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Albuquerque, NM Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Entertainment area limit: 65 dB(A) daytime / 60 dB(A) night
Residential limit for comparison: 55 dB(A) daytime / 50 dB(A) night
Daytime hours: 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Enforcement: Mayor's office, civil violation
First-offense fine: $250 civil fine

Summary

Albuquerque gives its Downtown Arts and Entertainment Focus Area a higher noise ceiling than the rest of the city: 65 dB(A) by day and 60 dB(A) at night, versus 55/50 for residential receptors.

DOWNTOWN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS AREA. The area designated as the Downtown Arts and Entertainment Focus Area in the Integrated Development Ordinance. ... Except as otherwise provided in this article, no person shall make or continue, cause to be made or continued, or allow to be made or continued, any sound that persistently or continuously results in an exceedance of the following sound level limits using an approved sound-level meter measuring decibels on the A-Weighted scale.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-95: Current through Ordinance 2026-010, passed 4-6-2026).

Full Breakdown

Under the Noise Control Ordinance, the Downtown Arts and Entertainment Focus Area, the nightlife district set out in the Integrated Development Ordinance, is its own receptor category in the sound-limit table, tolerating persistent noise up to 65 dB(A) in daytime hours (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) and 60 dB(A) at night, well above the 55/50 dB(A) residential ceiling. Bars and clubs there can run louder before crossing into a civil violation. The Mayor administers and enforces the ordinance citywide.

Violations & Fines

Civil violation: $250 first offense, $500 second, $1,000 third and subsequent within 36 months; each day is a separate offense, plus possible injunction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do bars in downtown Albuquerque get a noise break?

Yes. Properties in the Downtown Arts and Entertainment Focus Area are held to 65 dB(A) daytime / 60 dB(A) nighttime, not the 55/50 residential standard.

What happens if a bar exceeds the limit?

The property owner gets a Notice of Violation and a civil fine: $250 first offense, $500 second, $1,000 third-plus within 36 months.

Sources & Official References

[1]Revised Ordinances of Albuquerque, Ch. 9, Art. 9 (Noise Control Ordinance)

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All Albuquerque rules

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