Oklahoma City, OK Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 34-4(c)
- Required mitigation
- posted hearing-impairment warning sign
- Off-premises sound
- still prohibited even with sign
- Commercial zone night limit
- 55 dBA (L90), § 34-6/Table I
- First offense penalty
- Class "a", fine up to $500
Summary
Bars and nightclubs that run amplified sound loud enough to disturb patrons or neighbors violate Oklahoma City's noise code unless they post a required hearing-impairment warning sign at every entrance.
Places of public entertainment. Operating, or permitting to be operated, in any place of public entertainment during any hour of operation when patrons or customers may be expected, any loudspeaker or sound amplifier which produces, reproduces or amplifies sound, at a point normally to be occupied by a patron or customer, which produces a noise disturbance, unless a conspicuous, legible sign, readable by a person with 20/20 vision at a distance within ten feet of it, is posted at or within five feet of each public entrance and not more than five feet above the level of the ground, floor, or other entrance threshold, which sign shall state: "WARNING: SOUND LEVELS WITHIN MAY CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING IMPAIRMENT"
This provision shall not be construed to allow the operation of such loudspeaker or sound amplifier in such manner as to create a noise disturbance beyond the premises or as to violate Paragraph (d) below.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 34-4(c) targets "places of public entertainment", bars, clubs, and similar venues, that operate loudspeakers or sound amplifiers producing a "noise disturbance" for patrons. Venues escape liability only by posting a conspicuous sign at each public entrance warning that sound levels may cause permanent hearing impairment. Even with the sign posted, the amplified sound still cannot create a noise disturbance beyond the premises, and stationary-source sound is separately capped by the zoning-district decibel limits in § 34-6 and Table I (§ 34-12), 60 dBA daytime/55 dBA nighttime L90 in commercial districts.
Violations & Fines
First offense is a Class "a" offense (fine up to $500); a second or subsequent violation is a Class "b" offense (fine up to $1,200 plus costs, or up to 6 months in City Jail). Each continuous day counts as one offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a bar avoid a noise citation just by posting a warning sign?
What decibel limit applies to a nightclub in a commercial zone at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oklahoma City
Compare Oklahoma City to another location·View the Oklahoma noise from specific sources overview
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Bar & Nightclub Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle bar & nightclub noise.