James City County, VA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Restricted hours
- 12:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Audibility threshold
- Plainly audible 50 feet from source
- First violation penalty
- $50.00 civil penalty
- Escalation window
- 180 days between violations
- Fourth violation
- Class 4 misdemeanor
- Enforcing officer
- County administrator's designee
- Governing section
- Code § 15-20(e)(2)a
Summary
James City County's Noise Ordinance singles out amplified sound at restaurants, bars, coffee shops and cafes in the county's mixed use zoned districts. Under section 15-20(e)(2)a, that sound becomes a violation once it is plainly audible 50 feet from its source between midnight and 7:00 a.m. The county administrator's designated officers enforce the rule, and civil penalties climb sharply for repeat violators within a 180-day window.
(2)Mixed use zoned districts. The following act, among others, is declared to be plainly audible noise in violation of this section, but such enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive:a.Amplified sound at restaurants, bars, coffee shops, cafes, etc. The using, operating, or permitting the playing, using, or operating of any instrument, machine, or device for the producing or reproducing of sound which is plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from its source between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. ... First violation. The first violation of this section shall be punished by a civil penalty in the amount of $50.00.
Full Breakdown
The prohibition sits inside section 15-20, James City County's Noise Ordinance, which the board of supervisors adopted to protect public health, welfare and quality of life from excessive noise. m. The county defines 'plainly audible' broadly: a person does not need to make out specific words, and detecting bass reverberations alone is enough to establish a violation. Enforcement runs through officers designated by the county administrator. An officer can issue one oral courtesy warning per day, then a written warning requiring the noise to stop; failing to correct the violation within 15 minutes of a warning triggers a formal notice of violation.
A person served with that notice can admit liability and pay the civil penalty to the county treasurer, or contest the charge in general district court. The ordinance exempts county-, state- or federal-sponsored events, activities under a permit, and theme parks or outdoor amusement centers, among other carve-outs in subsection (g). limit.
Violations & Fines
Civil penalties escalate under section 15-20(j): $50.00 for a first violation, $100.00 for a second violation by the same person, property or facts within 180 days, and $500.00 for a third within 180 days of the second. A fourth or subsequent violation within 180 days of the prior one becomes a Class 4 misdemeanor, and the county may also ask the circuit court to enjoin continuing violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a bar in James City County play amplified music after midnight?
What is the fine for a first noise violation in James City County?
Does the county give a warning before citing a business for noise?
Is the noise ordinance different outside mixed use districts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in James City County
Compare James City County to another location·View the Virginia noise from specific sources overview
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