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Parma, OH Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Interior limit
95 dBA without warning sign
Sign requirement
posted at every public entrance
Residential boundary limit
50 dBB, 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Governing section
Codified Ordinances 634.03(b)
Base penalty
minor misdemeanor per day

Summary

Parma caps amplified sound in bars, clubs, and other places of public entertainment at 95 dBA where customers stand, unless a hearing-damage warning sign is posted at every entrance, and at 50 dBB measured at nearby residential property lines between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.

Operating, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph, drum, musical instrument, sound amplifier or similar device which produces, reproduces or amplifies sound in any place of public entertainment at a sound level greater than 95 dBA as read by the slow response on a sound level meter at any point that is normally occupied by a customer, unless a conspicuous and legible sign is located outside such place, near each public entrance, stating “WARNING: SOUND LEVELS WITHIN MAY CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING IMPAIRMENT;”... Operating, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph, drum, musical instrument, sound amplifier or similar device which produces, reproduces or amplifies sound in any place of public entertainment at a sound level greater than 50 dBB as read by the slow response on a sound level meter when measured at or within the property boundary of residentially zoned land, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. of the following day;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-30: Local legislation current to August 3, 2026 | State legislation current to June 25, 2025).

Full Breakdown

01(16) as a commercial facility open to the public for entertainment. First, operating a radio, phonograph, drum, musical instrument, or sound amplifier at a level above 95 dBA, measured by slow response at any point normally occupied by a customer, is prohibited unless the establishment posts a conspicuous, legible warning sign at every public entrance reading that sound levels inside may cause permanent hearing impairment. the following day, protecting neighbors during nighttime hours specifically. 5), a different measurement than the A-weighted dBA used inside the venue. 04, giving police three overlapping standards to enforce against a loud bar or club.

Violations & Fines

Exceeding either sound limit in Section 634.03(b) without the required signage or during restricted nighttime hours is a minor misdemeanor, or a fourth-degree misdemeanor if willful or knowing, under Section 634.03(m), with each day of continued violation charged separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

How loud can a bar play music inside in Parma?
Up to 95 dBA measured at any point customers normally occupy under Section 634.03(b)(1), but only if the bar posts a conspicuous sign at each public entrance warning that sound levels inside may cause permanent hearing impairment.
Is there a nighttime noise limit for bars near homes in Parma?
Yes. Section 634.03(b)(2) caps amplified sound from a place of public entertainment at 50 dBB measured at the boundary of nearby residentially zoned land between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. the following day, regardless of any warning sign posted.
What happens if a Parma nightclub exceeds the noise limits?
A violation of Section 634.03(b) is a minor misdemeanor, escalating to a fourth-degree misdemeanor if willful or knowing, with each day of continued excess sound charged as a separate offense under Section 634.03(m).

Sources & Official References

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