Montgomery County, VA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)

Sec. 7-78, Places of Public Entertainment or Assembly, in Chapter 7 Article IV Noise, makes it unlawful to operate, or permit the operation of, a loudspeaker or other sound-production device in such a venue that produces sound pressure levels of 90 dB(A) or greater at any point normally occupied by a person, unless conspicuous and legible signs are posted outside the venue near the entrances. This is a disclosure-and-mitigation requirement rather than an outright volume cap: a bar or nightclub can legally run sound above 90 dB(A) as long as the required signage is in place at each entrance, warning patrons that exposure to the sound environment inside may cause hearing impairment.

The county sheriff enforces the article under Sec. 7-73 and may prescribe measurement procedures, and Sec. 7-72 sets the penalty at a fine of up to $1,000, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The provision traces to Ord. No. 1-6), adopted January 4, 1982, as part of the county's original noise code. Venues located near residential zones can also be reached by the stationary-source decibel limits of Sec. 7-80 and the general nuisance-noise ban of Sec. 7-76, which apply concurrently with this entertainment-venue signage rule.