Hampton, VA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Venue size cap
- 75 sq ft performance space
- Hours
- 10pm Sun-Thu, 11:59pm Fri-Sat
- Permit term
- 18 months, renewable
- Scope
- Coliseum Central (O-CC) overlay only
Summary
In Hampton's Coliseum Central overlay, small live-entertainment venues need a zoning administrator permit that caps performance hours and requires compliance with the city's noise code.
Live entertainment 1 is subject to a live entertainment zoning administrator permit with the following attached conditions:(aa)Live entertainment shall be conducted inside the building only;...(cc)The hours of operation for live entertainment shall not extend past 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday;(dd)The live entertainment shall comply with section 22-9 of the City Code, as amended, pertaining to noise.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31 | Zoning: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
Restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and wineries offering small-scale live entertainment (75 square feet of performance space or less) inside the Coliseum Central (O-CC) overlay district need a live entertainment zoning administrator permit. Conditions include performing indoors only, an approved seating/performance floor plan with no dance floor, hours capped at 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and compliance with City Code § 22-9's noise rules. Permits run 18 months, are reviewed at month 12 (weighing noise, complaints, and police calls), and can be extended in five-year increments or revoked. Outside O-CC, bar/nightclub noise is governed by the citywide § 22-9 standard instead.
Violations & Fines
The zoning administrator can revoke the live entertainment permit for violating any condition, including the noise-compliance requirement; citywide, breaching City Code § 22-9's noise limits is a misdemeanor with fines up to $2,500 for a third offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this hours/noise rule apply to bars anywhere in Hampton?
Can Hampton revoke a live entertainment permit over noise complaints?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hampton
Compare Hampton to another location·View the Virginia noise from specific sources overview
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