Tempe, AZ Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 20-11
- Standard used
- 14-factor "unnecessary noise" test
- No fixed decibel table
- Case-by-case factor analysis
- Civil fine range
- $100–$1,000
- Habitual offender
- 3 violations/24 months = misdemeanor
Summary
Tempe has no bar-specific decibel table; bar and nightclub noise is judged under the general "unnecessary noise" nuisance standard in the noise chapter, weighing 14 listed factors including proximity to residential sleeping areas and the time of night.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and in addition thereto, it shall be unlawful for any person without justification to make or continue, or cause or permit to be made or continued, any unnecessary, excessive or offensive noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 33 Update 4 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 11 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
General Code Sec. " That standard is the one that reaches bar and nightclub noise in Tempe, since Chapter 20 has no separate section naming bars or nightclubs. Sec. 20-11(b) lists 14 factors used to judge a violation: the volume and intensity of the noise, whether it is usual or unusual, its natural or unnatural origin, background noise levels, proximity to residential sleeping facilities, the zoning and inhabitant density of the area, the time of day or night, duration, whether it is recurrent, intermittent, or constant, whether it comes from a commercial or noncommercial activity, and whether it is a pure tone or impulse noise.
That commercial-activity factor and the residential-proximity factor are the ones most directly implicated by a bar's outdoor patio music, bass from an interior sound system carrying through walls, or crowd noise after closing. Because this is a general nuisance standard rather than a fixed decibel limit, Tempe Police or Code Enforcement build a case using the listed factors and witness or officer observations rather than a sound-meter reading against a numeric threshold; nothing in Sec. 20-11 exempts commercial or liquor-licensed establishments from the standard.
Violations & Fines
A Sec. 20-11 violation carries the Chapter 20 civil penalty under Sec. 20-15: not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, plus a $50 default penalty for failing to appear, and a lien can attach to the property where the violation occurred. Each day the noise continues is a separate offense under Sec. 20-17, and a business found responsible three times within 24 months is charged as a criminal misdemeanor under Sec. 20-18, prosecuted by the Tempe City Prosecutor in Tempe Municipal Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tempe have a decibel limit specifically for bars and nightclubs?
What factors decide if a nightclub's noise violates Tempe's code?
What penalty does a Tempe bar face for repeated noise complaints?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
Compare Tempe to another location·View the Arizona noise from specific sources overview
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