West New York, NJ Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- No entertainment heard or felt outside the building (§ 114-38(C)(3))
- Who is bound
- Plenary retail consumption licensees
- License consequence
- Hearing on suspension or revocation (§ 114-40)
- Repeat violation
- Revocation after a second violation within twelve months
- Noise chapter penalty
- Civil penalty of not more than $3,000 per offense
- Disco hours (Article VI)
- 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., midnight Friday and Saturday
Summary
In the Town of West New York, Hudson County, New Jersey, a plenary retail consumption licensee cannot provide any entertainment whose sounds or vibrations can be heard or felt outside the building, or by the occupier of another part of the same building. A separate noise chapter carries civil penalties of up to $3,000 per offense.
A. Findings. ... The Board of Commissioners find that this section is necessary to: ... (5) Enhance the quality of life within the town. ... C. Prohibitions. No plenary retail consumption licensee shall: ... (3) Provide any entertainment. where the sounds of or vibrations from may be heard or felt outside of the building in which it is located or, if such building also serves other uses, be heard or felt by the occupier of such other portion of the building.
Full Breakdown
The Board of Commissioners of the Town of West New York addresses bar and nightclub noise in Chapter 114, Alcoholic Beverages. Section 114-38(C)(3) prohibits a plenary retail consumption licensee from providing any entertainment where the sounds of or vibrations from it can be heard or felt outside of the building in which it is located or, if the building also serves other uses, be heard or felt by the occupier of another portion of the building. The standard is audibility and feel, not a decibel reading, and it covers live bands and recorded music alike. Section 114-38(A) lists the Board's reasons, which include protecting property values, enhancing the quality of life within the town, and decreasing disorderly conduct.
A license holder who breaks the rule faces the licensing consequences in Section 114-40. The Town Liquor Administrator must promptly hold a hearing under N.J.S.A. 33:1-31, as set out in Section 114-71, on whether to suspend or revoke the license, and a second violation at the same establishment within a twelve-month period requires revocation.
Venues without a plenary retail consumption license fall under Chapter 117, Article VI, Places of Public Amusement, which defines discotheques, roller discos and rock halls. Section 117-62(G) forbids a licensee or its agents or employees from allowing any person to cause noise or loudness that disturbs the peace and quiet in, upon and around the licensed premises, and Section 117-60 limits operating hours to between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., with Friday and Saturday evenings open to 12:00 midnight. Section 117-65(A) states that Article VI does not apply to premises holding a retail plenary consumption license, so bars answer to Chapter 114 instead.
Chapter 266, Noise, applies on top of both. Section 266-8 prohibits operating any sound-production device so that the sound crosses a property line and raises the total sound level above the neighborhood residual level by more than the limits in its Table IV, measured within the complainant's residence.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 266 is carved out of the general penalty in Section 1-16(A). Under Section 266-11, any person who violates that chapter is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $3,000 for each offense, and each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense. The noise control officer issues a notice of violation or notice of penalty assessment, and the recipient of a penalty assessment can contest it in municipal court. Violations of Section 114-38 carry the liquor license hearing under Section 114-40.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a bar in the Town of West New York be?
What happens to a bar's liquor license over a noise violation?
Does the separate noise chapter apply to nightclubs?
Do disco hour limits apply to bars with a liquor license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West New York
Compare West New York to another location·View the New Jersey 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.