Huntsville, AL Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Commercial noise limit
- 62 dB(A) at all times
- Residential nighttime limit
- 50 dB(A), 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
- Amplified sound curfew
- not audible at homes after 10 p.m.
- Entertainment district exception
- weekends & New Year's Eve/Day
- Enforcing agency
- Noise Control Officer / police
Summary
Huntsville limits commercial noise to 62 decibels at all times and bars amplified music audible at nearby homes after 10 p.m., with an exception for the city's entertainment district on weekend nights.
No person shall operate, cause to be operated, or generate any source of sound which is electronically amplified... such that the audible sound is discernible by the human ear at or within the property boundary of any adjoining or nearby residential premises between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. ... shall not apply to amplified sound generated from within an arts or entertainment district established in chapter 3, article II of this Code, during the weekend (Friday and Saturday) regular hours of operation of such district.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code Sec. 12-265, commercial and business property in Huntsville has a flat sound-level ceiling of 62 dB(A) at all times, measured at the property line. Separately, subsection (b)(1) bars any electronically amplified sound, the kind bars and nightclubs run through speakers, from being discernible at a neighboring residential property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The one carve-out: venues inside the city's designated arts and entertainment district (Chapter 3, Article II) can run amplified sound past that curfew during regular Friday-Saturday hours and on New Year's Eve/Day.
Violations & Fines
The noise control officer or a police officer can swear out an affidavit for a summons to municipal court; a Code violation carries a fine up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both (Sec. 1-7).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Huntsville bar play music after 10 p.m.?
What's the general noise limit for commercial property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntsville
Compare Huntsville to another location·View the Alabama noise from specific sources overview
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