Chattanooga, TN Noise from Specific Sources: Delivery Truck Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Chattanooga City Code § 25-68(a)(10)
- Standard
- 'loud and excessive,' no decibel number
- Applies
- citywide, any hour
- Related rule
- refuse loaders barred 9pm-7am, § 25-79(a)(8)
- Max penalty
- $500 per violation, § 25-74
Summary
Chattanooga City Code § 25-68(a)(10) declares loud, excessive noise from loading or unloading a vehicle, or from opening bales, boxes, crates and containers, an unlawful noise citywide. The rule sets no decibel figure or curfew hours; it bans the racket outright whenever it rises to 'loud and excessive,' any time of day.
(10)Loading and unloading; opening bales, etc. The creation of loud and excessive noise in connection with the loading or unloading of any vehicle or the opening bales, boxes, crates and containers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
' Unlike the construction-hours rule two subsections earlier, this one carries no clock: it isn't limited to nighttime or to residential districts, and it sets no decibel threshold the way § 25-69's sound-amplification rules do. That makes it a catch-all standard rather than a bright-line number, leaving the loud-versus-ordinary determination to the officer on scene and, on appeal, to city court. within or adjacent to a residential zone, a related but distinct rule from the general loading and unloading ban. Both sections sit under Article III's opening declaration in § 25-66 that 'the creation of any unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise in the city' is unlawful, and both draw on the measurement definitions Article III sets out in § 25-67, even though § 25-68(a)(10) itself doesn't require a metered reading to support a citation.
Violations & Fines
Loading-noise violations are enforced under § 25-74: a $50.00 citation fine per violation, plus a discretionary civil penalty of up to $500.00 to cover the city's administrative costs of enforcement, or a conditional civil penalty up to $500.00 waived if the violator avoids another Article III violation for a year. The combined fines and penalties for one violation cannot exceed $500.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a decibel limit for delivery truck noise in Chattanooga?
Does the loading-noise rule only apply at night?
What's the fine for excessive loading noise?
Is there a separate rule for garbage truck noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
Compare Chattanooga to another location·View the Tennessee noise from specific sources overview
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