Bensalem, PA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- GC zone limit
- 65 dBA day and night
- Night hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Meters required
- A.N.S.I. Type I or II
- Enforced by
- Noise Control Officer
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 per day
- Ordinance origin
- Ord. No. 98-18 (1998)
Summary
Bensalem Township caps commercial noise, including bars and nightclubs, under Chapter 149 of the Township Code. Sound measured at the property's lot line cannot exceed 65 decibels day or night in General Commercial zones. Township personnel use A.N.S.I.-certified meters to check compliance, and violators face summary-offense fines up to $1,000 per day.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to emit or cause to be emitted any noise beyond the lot lines of his property in excess of the noise levels established in this chapter. ... (c)At any point along the common lot line of any commercial or industrial property and any property from which sound is being emitted, regardless of the distance between the source of the sound and the lot lines from which the sound is measured, the maximum sound emitted from any source shall not exceed the following limits: Sound Level Limits Zoning Classification of Property Emitting Sound Day DBA Night DBA GC General Commercial 65 65 ... (f)As used in subsections (c) through (e) above, night shall be defined as the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of the following day, prevailing time. ... Any person who shall violate a provision of this chapter, or who shall fail to comply with any order or directive of any Township personnel conducting sound measurements shall be guilty of a summary offense and each and every violation shall be fined a sum not in excess of $1,000.00 for each violation, and each day shall constitute a separate violation.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 149 of the Bensalem Township Code, titled the 'Bensalem Township Noise Ordinance of 1998' (Ord. No. 98-18, adopted June 23, 1998), sets the sound ceiling that applies to any commercial noise source, including a bar or nightclub operating in a General Commercial (GC) zone. Section 149-3(a) bars anyone from emitting noise beyond a property's lot lines above the levels the chapter sets, and 149-3(c) fixes the limit for a GC-zoned source at 65 decibels (dBA) measured at the common lot line, both day and night.
Neighboring Highway Commercial parcels get a 70 dBA ceiling, Light Industrial 75/70, and General Industrial 80/75. Section 149-3(f) defines 'night' as 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. the following day, prevailing time, so a nightclub's amplified music, crowd noise or rooftop HVAC must stay under the applicable figure even after the venue's peak hours continue past 10:00 p.m. Section 149-5 requires Township personnel to use A.N.S.I. Type I or Type II sound meters, calibrated before and after each measurement, and bars readings taken outdoors above 12 mph wind or during precipitation.
The Noise Control Officer may inspect any property and take readings with the owner's consent or, if refused, an administrative warrant from District Court. Section 149-6 makes a violation a summary offense punishable by a fine up to $1,000.00, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense, and it also declares a violation a public nuisance the Township may abate at the violator's cost.
Violations & Fines
Violating the sound limits is a summary offense under Section 149-6, punishable by a fine up to $1,000.00, with every day of a continuing violation charged separately. The Township may also treat a violation as a public nuisance and abate it at the violator's expense. Township personnel measure sound with A.N.S.I.-certified meters at the property's lot line to document an exceedance before citing the operator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a bar in Bensalem be at night?
Who enforces Bensalem's noise limits?
What is the fine for exceeding the noise limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bensalem
Compare Bensalem to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise from specific sources overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.