Wichita, KS Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 5.63.030
- Commercial zone limit
- 60 db(A) day, 55 db(A) night
- Old Town ceiling
- Up to 80 db(A) for licensed events
- Measurement point
- Outside property line
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Bars and nightclubs in Wichita's commercial zones must stay under 60 db(A) by day and 55 db(A) overnight, or five db(A) over background noise, under Municipal Code Sec. 5.63.030. The Old Town Entertainment District gets a modified ceiling: noise can run up to 80 db(A) for city-approved licensed community events.
(a)A noise measured or registered as provided herein from any source not exempted by this Chapter at a level which is equal to or in excess of the db(A) established for the time period and zones listed below or that exceeds the background level by five db(A), whichever is greater, is declared to be excessive, unusual, loud and unnecessary, for the purposes of 5.63.010: ...Commercial 60 db(A) 55 db(A)... (b)The noise levels for subsection (a) of this section shall be modified for the Old Town District as follows:(1)Noise levels may exceed background levels by five db(A) to a maximum of 80 db(A).(2)Noise levels shall be measured from the outside property line when measurements are being made of an activity on a property other than streets or public rights-of-way.(3)Noise levels under this section may be increased or waived for approved licensed community events pursuant to Chapter 3.11 of the Code of the City of Wichita.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 030(a) sets the objective decibel table that defines "excessive, unusual, loud and unnecessary" noise for purposes of the general nuisance ban in Sec. , or five db(A) above the ambient background level, whichever is greater. 11 of the Code. Sec. 030(c) defines "Commercial" to include shopping and service establishments, a central business district, and any commercially dominated area with multiple-unit dwellings; a bar operating in a mixed-use block bordering a residential zone is measured against whichever zone's limit is more restrictive under the adjacent-zones rule.
A venue can raise as a defense under Sec. 010(c) that its measured decibel level did not exceed the applicable Sec. 030 threshold, but must turn over calibrated decibel evidence to the City Attorney's Office at least seven days before trial. Written authorization to exceed the normal limits for a licensed community event is reviewed by the Community Event Coordinator under Sec. m. on Friday and Saturday.
Violations & Fines
A first offense is a misdemeanor under Sec. 5.63.090: a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of continued excess noise charged as a separate offense. Denial of a community-event sound authorization can be appealed to the City Council within ten days under Sec. 5.63.070.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Old Town bars in Wichita play louder music than other bars?
How late can a Wichita bar run amplified sound at maximum volume?
What happens if a Wichita nightclub is denied a loud-event authorization?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wichita
Compare Wichita to another location·View the Kansas noise from specific sources overview
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