Cary, NC Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- 9a-9p limit
- 65 dB(A)
- 9p-2a limit
- 55 dB(A)
- 2a-9a limit
- 40 dB(A)
- Applies to
- bars, taverns, restaurants, clubs
- Governing law
- Cary Code § 22-109(1)
Summary
The Town of Cary caps amplified sound from restaurants, taverns, bars, coffeehouses and private clubs at 65 dB(A) affecting nearby homes by day, dropping to 55 dB(A) after 9 p.m. and 40 dB(A) after 2 a.m.
(1) Places of public entertainment. As to places of public entertainment, including, but not limited to, restaurants, taverns and bars, coffeehouses and private clubs, to operate or allow the operation of any sound amplification equipment so as to create sounds registering more than 65 dB(A) affecting occupied residential structures or units between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., or 55 dB(A) between 9:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., or 40 dB(A) between 2:00 a.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: 2023 S-87_S-57: Current through local ordinance 2022-Code-05, passed 11-17-2022 and effective 11-17-2022 | LDO: Current through local ordinance 2022-LDO-04, passed 11-17-22 and effective 11-17-22).
Full Breakdown
Section 22-109(1) of the Cary Code specifically governs 'places of public entertainment,' defined to include restaurants, taverns and bars, coffeehouses and private clubs. Without a town permit, such venues may not operate sound amplification equipment that registers more than 65 dB(A) affecting occupied residential structures between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., more than 55 dB(A) between 9:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., or more than 40 dB(A) between 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Venues can seek an excess-amplification permit under § 22-110, capped at 20 hours per calendar year at any one place of public entertainment.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the § 22-109(1) time-of-day dB(A) caps without a § 22-110 permit is unlawful and enforceable under § 22-112: $100 for a first offense in a year, rising to $1,000 for a fifth or later offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Cary bars need a permit for amplified music?
What's the strictest bar-noise window in Cary?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cary
Compare Cary to another location·View the North Carolina noise from specific sources overview
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Bar & Nightclub Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle bar & nightclub noise.