Baytown, TX Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Distance trigger
- Outdoor sound audible beyond 200 feet
- Curfew condition
- Home/hotel within 200 ft: quiet 10 p.m.-9 a.m.
- Covered venues
- Cafes, restaurants, drive-ins, taverns, similar
- Legal basis
- Sec. 34-365(4), noise code
- Penalty
- Fine under Sec. 1-14, up to $500/day
Summary
A bar, restaurant or tavern in Baytown can't run outdoor speakers loud enough to carry more than 200 feet, and if a home or hotel sits within that 200-foot radius the speakers must go silent between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m., under Sec. 34-365(4).
Outdoor loudspeakers at places selling food or drink. The operation of any outdoor loudspeaker or sound amplifier for the producing or reproducing of music at any cafe, restaurant, drive-in, tavern, ice cream store, watermelon garden or other place open to the public for the purpose of selling food or drink and having facilities or premises set aside for the accommodation of patrons, guests or customers located on the outside of the building, when the volume of sound shall be audible for a distance in excess of 200 feet from such outdoor loudspeaker or sound amplifier or when the volume of sound is unreasonably raucous, jarring or disturbing to persons of ordinary sensibilities residing in a dwelling, hotel or other type of residence in the vicinity. However, if a dwelling, hotel or other type of residence is located within 200 feet of an outdoor loudspeaker or sound amplifier of the kind referred to in this subsection, such outdoor loudspeaker or sound amplifier shall not be operated between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 34-365(4) targets outdoor loudspeakers or sound amplifiers at any cafe, restaurant, drive-in, tavern, ice cream store, watermelon garden or similar place open to the public for selling food or drink that has outdoor patron facilities. The rule has two independent triggers: the sound is prohibited if it's audible more than 200 feet from the speaker, or if the volume is unreasonably raucous, jarring or disturbing to people of ordinary sensibilities living nearby, regardless of distance. , a hard curfew that applies even if the volume would otherwise be lawful.
This provision is distinct from the commercial-advertising loudspeaker ban in Sec. 34-365(3), which covers sound cast onto public streets to draw attention to a building, and from the general noise prohibition in Sec. 34-362 that can still support a citation for indoor bar or nightclub noise bleeding outward. Baytown Police enforce the outdoor-speaker rule on complaint or observation.
Violations & Fines
Operating outdoor speakers audible beyond 200 feet, or running them past 10 p.m. or before 9 a.m. when a residence or hotel sits within that radius, violates Sec. 34-365(4). Conviction draws the general penalty fine under Sec. 1-14, up to $500, with each night of continued operation a separate offense, and repeat complaints can support a broader nuisance case under Sec. 34-362.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a bar in Baytown play outdoor music all night?
How loud can a restaurant patio's speakers be in Baytown?
What happens if a bar keeps violating the outdoor speaker rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baytown
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Baytown to another location·View the Texas noise from specific sources overview
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Bar & Nightclub Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Harris County handle bar & nightclub noise.