Williamson County, TN Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Commercial sound-device limit
- 75 dBC, day and night
- Residential limit, daytime
- 70 dBC, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Residential limit, night (non-rural)
- 65 dBC after 10 p.m.
- Enforcing agency
- Codes Compliance Director
- Fine range
- $10-$50 per offense (TCA §13-7-111)
- Applies only to
- Unincorporated Williamson County
Summary
Bars, taverns and other Eating and Drinking Establishments in unincorporated Williamson County must keep amplified sound within numeric decibel caps under the Zoning Ordinance's noise standards. Speakers, PA systems and other Sound Production Devices tied to these uses cannot exceed 75 dBC on commercial receiving land or 70 dBC by day, dropping to 65 or 60 dBC at night, at a neighboring home.
(A) APPLICABILITY The standards of this Section shall apply to the following: ... (6) All uses in the Eating and Drinking Establishments Use Category; ... (B) GENERAL STANDARDS ... (2) Sounds produced by Sound Production Devices generated on or associated with the uses outlined in Section 16.02(A) above, shall not exceed the C-weighted 10-minute Leq (fast response) limits listed in Table 16.02-2: Maximum Noise Standards-Sound Production, when measured outdoors anywhere within the Receiving Property boundaries.
Full Breakdown
02 of the Williamson County Zoning Ordinance, effective January 1, 2013, applies noise standards to "All uses in the Eating and Drinking Establishments Use Category," which covers bars, taverns and nightclubs operating in the unincorporated county; Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview and Nolensville have their own municipal codes and are not covered here. 02-2 using a C-weighted, fast-response 10-minute Leq rather than the A-weighted standard used for mechanical noise, because C-weighting better captures low-frequency bass from live and recorded music. and 65 dBC overnight on residential parcels under five acres, or 60 dBC overnight on rural parcels of five acres or more. 02(D). Complaints go to the Community Development Department, and sustained exceedances become a zoning violation enforceable under Article 22.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding Table 16.02-2's decibel limits is a misdemeanor under Section 22.07(A): a court may fine the responsible person between $10 and $50 per offense under Tenn. Code Ann. § 13-7-111, and Section 22.03(F) makes each day the noise continues a separate offense. The Codes Compliance Director may also pursue civil enforcement under 22.05(D), and paying the criminal fine under 22.07(C) does not excuse the establishment from bringing sound levels back into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this noise limit apply to bars inside Franklin or Brentwood?
What decibel limit applies to a bar's sound system at night?
What must a bar submit before opening to show it will meet the noise limits?
What happens if a bar keeps exceeding the noise limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Williamson County
Compare Williamson County to another location·View the Tennessee noise from specific sources overview
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