New Orleans, LA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)

" No loudspeaker may sit "beyond the interior walls of the building or be oriented in such a way that the face or front of the loudspeaker(s) points in the direction of any exterior door, window, or other opening," and none may have rear or side openings that project sound. Enterprises holding a Class A alcoholic beverage permit (on-premises consumption) must keep loudspeakers at least ten feet from any exterior door, window or opening, or else keep those openings closed during operating hours; a fire marshal exemption is available for a required emergency exit, but written documentation of that exemption must be kept on-site.

Enterprises without a Class A permit face a stricter 20-foot interior setback. The section names five categories of "responsible party" who can be cited: the premises owner, the manager, anyone controlling the volume including a DJ, anyone named on the business's occupational license, or the commercial enterprise itself. This sits alongside the citywide Table 1 sound limits in section 66-202, which allow business/commercial zones up to 65 dBA (L10) by day and 60 dBA overnight, and the section 66-140 misdemeanor penalty (up to 90 days jail, fine up to the state-law cap) that applies to noise-article violations generally.