Bossier City, LA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Bossier City Code § 110-81
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 44-2006, May 23, 2006
- Amplified sound cap
- 15 dbA above ambient at property line
- Commercial district limit
- 60 dbA continuous
- Measurement distance
- 25 feet from the noise source
- Penalty
- $100.00-$500.00 fine or up to 10 days jail
Summary
Bossier City caps sound from amplifying equipment, the systems bars and nightclubs use for music and PA announcements, at 15 dbA above ambient noise measured at the property line, and separately limits any continuous commercial-district noise source to 60 dbA. Code § 110-81, adopted by Ordinance No. 44-2006, treats exceeding those numbers as prima facie proof of a violation, punished by a $100 to $500 fine or up to ten days in jail.
(b)Regulations. ... The use of sound-amplifying equipment shall be subject to the following regulations:(1)No sound emanating from sound-amplifying equipment shall exceed 15 dbA above the ambient as measured at any property line.(2)In any event, the volume of sound shall be so controlled that it will not be unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing, or a nuisance to reasonable persons of normal sensitiveness within the area of audibility.(3)Noise sound pressure levels shall be measured at a distance of 25 feet from the noise source. ... (d)Maximum permissible sound levels. The maximum permissible sound pressure level of any continuous source shall be as follows: ... District dbA Residential 55 Commercial 60 Industrial 80 ... (f)Penalty. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense and/or ten days in jail or both.
Full Breakdown
Section 110-81, added by Ordinance No. 44-2006 on May 23, 2006, is Bossier City's numeric noise standard and it applies squarely to a bar or nightclub's speakers, DJ equipment or live-music PA system as sound-amplifying equipment. Subsection (b) caps amplified sound at 15 dbA above the ambient level measured at any property line and requires that sound pressure be measured 25 feet from the source. Subsection (c) separately makes it unlawful to operate a radio, musical instrument, television, phonograph or similar device so that it produces unnecessary noise, and treats the device being plainly audible at the property line, or 25 feet away for a vehicle on a public right-of-way, as prima facie evidence of a violation, with an exception only for a permitted school band or parade.
Subsection (d) then sets flat maximum sound-pressure levels for any continuous source by zoning district: 55 dbA in residential districts, 60 dbA in commercial districts, the classification that covers most bars and nightclubs, and 80 dbA in industrial districts, and any reading above the district's number is itself prima facie evidence of unnecessary noise. Subsection (e) adds a 25-foot audibility test for vehicle sound systems. The section cross-references the general noise ordinance at § 46-31 but operates independently of it, giving code enforcement and police a measurable standard specific to amplified and mechanical sound sources rather than the effects-based test in § 46-31.
Violations & Fines
Section 110-81(f) sets its own penalty, separate from the Code's general fine: not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense, plus or in lieu of up to ten days in jail. Because subsections (b) through (d) each create prima facie evidence rules, a single decibel reading above 60 dbA at a commercial-district property line, or audibility at the property line under subsection (c), is enough to support a citation without further proof of intent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel limit applies to a bar or nightclub in Bossier City?
How is bar noise measured for a Bossier City citation?
What is the fine for exceeding the noise limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bossier City
Compare Bossier City to another location·View the Louisiana noise from specific sources overview
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