Jefferson Parish, LA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Noise cap
- 60 dBA at property line after 10 p.m.
- Enforcing agency
- Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (JPSO)
- Measurement method
- 3 readings, 30 seconds apart, A-scale
- Approval needed
- Building permits dept. approves soundproofing
- Applies to
- Bars/holding bars in Fat City (FC-1/2/3)
- Appeal window
- 30 days to Parish Council
Summary
Bars, nightclubs and holding bars inside the Fat City Mixed-Use district (FC-1, FC-2, FC-3) near Metairie's Lakeside Shopping Center must soundproof so noise never exceeds 60 decibels measured at the property line after 10:00 p.m. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (JPSO) checks compliance with three A-scale meter readings taken thirty seconds apart, and the parish's building permits department signs off on the soundproofing method before a nonconforming bar can keep operating.
(g)Soundproofing.(1)The owner or operator of a nonconforming stand-alone bar or an accessory bar or holding bar shall install soundproofing so that sound from the bar does not exceed sixty (60) dba measured at the property line after 10:00 p.m.(2)The department of building permits shall approve soundproofing methods.(3)JPSO shall take a minimum of three (3) readings at thirty (30) second intervals, and the mean of these readings will determine the actual decibel level. JPSO will take the readings using the A scale of the sound meter on slow response or other methods that JPSO determines will provide equal or greater sound protection for neighboring properties.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Jefferson Parish Code of Ordinances Sec. 5 regulates every bar, holding bar, and nonconforming stand-alone drinking establishment inside the Fat City districts, an area built around Severn Avenue, 18th Street, and Edenborn near Metairie's Lakeside Shopping Center. , and the department of building permits must approve the soundproofing method used. JPSO enforces the cap by taking three readings thirty seconds apart on the A scale, slow response, and averaging them to set the official decibel reading. The same section layers on other nuisance controls tied to the noise rule: the operator must collect litter within 200 feet of the property daily, install 24-hour time-lapse security cameras covering patron and parking areas, ask anyone loitering more than 15 minutes to leave, and keep hedges no taller than two and a half feet so they cannot hide people on the property.
on weeknights, though the Parish Council can grant a one-hour extension by special event permit. Because these rules attach specifically to bars and holding bars accessory to hotels, restaurants, theaters, or clubs inside FC-1 and FC-3, a stand-alone bar elsewhere in the parish is not covered by this exact soundproofing standard and instead falls under the parish's general noise ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Failure to meet the soundproofing, litter, camera, or loitering standards is grounds for revoking a bar's nonconforming status or, for accessory and holding bars, revoking the alcoholic beverage permit under Chapter 4. The code compliance and enforcement director must notify the owner and operator in writing and state the reasons. Either can appeal to the Parish Council within 30 calendar days of the mailed notice, and the council holds a public hearing before deciding whether the bar complied with Sec. 33-3.53.4.5 and its Chapter 4 permit conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 60-decibel rule apply to every bar in Jefferson Parish?
Who takes the decibel reading, and how?
What happens after 10:00 p.m. if a bar is too loud?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson Parish
Compare Jefferson Parish to another location·View the Louisiana noise from specific sources overview
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