Grand Rapids, MI Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Distance threshold
- 100 feet from property line
- Nighttime hours
- 10pm-7am Sun-Thu, 1am-7am Fri-Sat
- Covered businesses
- Liquor license/events license holders
- Warning policy
- One warning per location per 6 months
- Repeat penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500 + 90 days
Summary
Grand Rapids bars and nightclubs may not emit sound audible 100 feet or more from the property line during nighttime hours, including from patios or outdoor areas.
No entertainment or commercial business shall emit or permit the emission of sound that is frequent, repetitive, or continuous from the premises of the establishment, including any outdoor area which is part of or under the control of the establishment, and is clearly audible to a person of normal hearing located one hundred (100) feet or more from the property line during nighttime hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Section 9.64, Prohibited Entertainment or Commercial Sound, targets any 'entertainment or commercial business,' defined to include any business holding a liquor license or indoor events license. It bars frequent, repetitive, or continuous sound, including from outdoor areas the business controls, that is clearly audible 100 feet or more from the property line during nighttime hours (10 p.m.-7 a.m. Sunday-Thursday, 1 a.m.-7 a.m. Friday-Saturday). Only one warning is issued per location every six months before civil-infraction citations follow, and repeat violators within six months face misdemeanor exposure.
Violations & Fines
Municipal civil infraction, fine under Chapter 170; a second Section 9.64 violation within six months is a misdemeanor up to $500 and 90 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Grand Rapids limit noise from bars and nightclubs?
Does it cover outdoor patios?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
Compare Grand Rapids to another location·View the Michigan noise from specific sources overview
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