Daytona Beach, FL Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Section 42-213 of the noise article lists exempt sources, and subsection (1) covers air conditioners: functioning in accord with the manufacturer's specifications, manufacturer's standard mufflers and noise reducing equipment, and in proper operating condition according to standards promulgated by the American Refrigeration Institute. Read together with the rest of the article, this means a home or business AC condenser running normally, with its factory-installed sound-dampening components intact, is not subject to the § 42-215 decibel table or the § 42-214 nighttime curfew no matter how close it sits to a neighbor's window.

and 10 dBA above background (or 60 dBA) during the day. Section 42-214(d) places responsibility for a noisy, non-compliant unit on the property owner, tenant, manager or anyone in lawful possession of the property, regardless of who installed it. A resident whose neighbor's compressor rattles, screeches or otherwise runs outside factory tolerances can bring a complaint to the code enforcement board rather than being told the unit is automatically exempt.