Salt Lake City, UT Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Sound measurement point
- 15 feet from exterior wall/door
- Outdoor amplified sound
- Prohibited entirely
- Live entertainment location
- Must be fully enclosed indoors
- Applies to
- Taverns, bars, brewpubs (conditional use)
- Sound limit source
- City Code Ch. 9.28 district levels
Summary
Salt Lake City taverns, bar establishments, and brewpubs approved as conditional uses must cap sound at the district noise limit and keep amplified sound off outdoor areas.
Design and construction requirements to ensure that any sound level originating within the premises, measured within fifteen feet (15') from an exterior wall or door thereof, does not exceed the maximum permissible sound level set forth for the applicable zoning district in Title 9, Chapter 9.28 of this Code... Prohibiting electronically amplified sound in any exterior portion of the premises
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 21A.36.300, a conditional use permit for a tavern, bar establishment, or brewpub requires design and construction that keeps sound measured 15 feet from an exterior wall or door within the maximum permissible level set for that zoning district under Chapter 9.28. Live entertainment must stay inside an enclosed building, and electronically amplified sound is barred from any exterior portion of the premises. The Planning Commission also requires a police-approved security and operations plan with a complaint-response program.
Violations & Fines
Violating conditional use conditions can trigger permit revocation by the City; separately, exceeding Chapter 9.28 sound limits is enforced as a noise ordinance violation with fines under § 9.28.090.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Salt Lake City bar have outdoor speakers or a patio band?
How close to the wall is bar noise measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah noise from specific sources overview
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Bar & Nightclub Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle bar & nightclub noise.