Scottsdale, AZ Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Presumed unreasonable level
- 68 dB(A) or higher
- First violation fine
- $500 civil penalty
- Second violation (1 yr)
- $1,500 civil penalty
- Third+ violation (1 yr)
- $2,500 civil penalty
- Habitual offender threshold
- 4+ findings in 24 months
- Enforcing agency
- Scottsdale Police, City Manager designee
Summary
Scottsdale Code § 19-26 makes it a civil offense for any business serving alcohol or hosting live entertainment to create unreasonable noise that disturbs a residential district containing dwellings. Noise measured at or above 68 dB(A) is presumed unreasonable. Scottsdale police officers or City Manager-designated employees enforce the rule, and a sound meter is optional evidence, not a requirement.
(A)It shall be unlawful for a business that serves alcohol or provides live entertainment to create unreasonable noise that through its operations disturbs the peace or quiet of a residential district that contains dwellings...(D)It shall be a rebuttable presumption under this article that noise levels over sixty-eight (68) db(A) are considered unreasonable.(E)The following activities are exempt from the provisions of this section:(1)Non-amplified noises resulting from the activities of the patrons of a business.(2)An event being held pursuant to a city issued special events permit provided that the business is operating in accordance with the conditions of that permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 19-26 targets bars, restaurants and other establishments that serve alcohol or provide live entertainment, prohibiting unreasonable noise that disturbs the peace of a nearby residential district containing dwellings. Sec. 19-25 defines unreasonable noise as noise a reasonable person of normal sensibilities would find excessive and that can be heard at least 100 feet from the business. Sec. 19-26(D) sets a rebuttable presumption: any noise level over 68 dB(A) is unreasonable, though Sec. 19-26(C) makes clear a sound level meter is not required to sustain a violation; an officer's on-scene judgment under Sec.
19-26(B) is enough. Two carve-outs exist under Sec. 19-26(E): non-amplified noise generated by a business's own patrons, and any event operating under a valid city special-events permit that stays within that permit's conditions. Measurement, when used, follows Sec. 3 decibel, with ambient sound noted before comparison. Enforcement runs through civil, not criminal, complaints. Under Sec. 19-29, the City Manager or a designee, a Scottsdale police officer, or the City Attorney can issue a civil complaint or a notice of violation giving the business a chance to correct the problem before a complaint issues.
Sec. § 13-305, plus an additional flat $2,500 fine when the responsible party is not a corporate entity. Sec. 19-31 preserves the City's ability to pursue other remedies, including revoking a business's conditional use permit, on top of the noise-specific penalties.
Violations & Fines
Violating Sec. 19-26(A) carries a $500 civil fine for a first offense, $1,500 for a second within one year, and $2,500 for a third or later violation in that same year, per Sec. 19-28. A business that breaches the noise conditions of its own special-events permit also faces a flat $2,500 penalty. Four or more findings of responsibility within 24 months makes a business a habitual offender under Sec. 19-30, a class one misdemeanor punishable by a $10,000 to $20,000 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What noise level is presumed illegal for a Scottsdale bar?
Does patron noise count against the bar itself?
What happens after repeated noise complaints?
Can a special-events permit shield a venue from noise rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
Compare Scottsdale to another location·View the Arizona noise from specific sources overview
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