Chesapeake, VA Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Reduction for impulsive/bass noise
- 5 dB below Table 1 limit
- Effective residential cap
- 50 dBA (55 dBA - 5)
- Effective commercial/agricultural cap
- 55 dBA (60 dBA - 5)
- Who classifies noise as impulsive
- The administrator (city manager designee)
- Governing section
- Sec. 26-130(c)
Summary
Chesapeake tightens its decibel limits by 5 dB for impulsive noise the administrator finds includes amplified bass music, hammering, or riveting, cutting the standard 55/60 dBA cap accordingly under Sec. 26-130(c).
(c)Should the administrator determine the noise to be of an impulsive character (such as hammering, riveting or amplified bass music) or contain a steady, pure tone (such as a whine, screech or hum), the standard limits set forth in the maximum dB (Column 1) of Table 1 shall be reduced by five (5) dB.
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. " That means the ordinary 55 dBA residential and 60 dBA commercial/agricultural caps in Table 1 (Sec. 26-130(b)) effectively drop to 50 dBA and 55 dBA when the administrator classifies amplified bass music as impulsive. The determination is made by the administrator, defined in Sec. 26-122 as the city manager's designee, including without limitation the chief of police and the zoning administrator, using the same ANSI-compliant type 1 or type 2 sound level meter required for all Sec. 26-130 readings, calibrated within the prior 12 months per Sec.
26-130(a). Measurement is taken from the complaining or receiving property, using that property's zoning classification, per Sec. 26-130(d). This numeric reduction is separate from the per se curfew ban in Sec. ; the 5-dB reduction applies at any hour when the administrator investigates a bass-heavy noise complaint under Sec. 26-129.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the reduced 5-dB-lower threshold for impulsive or bass-heavy noise carries the same penalties as any other Sec. 26-130 violation: a $250.00 civil penalty for a first offense and $500.00 for a repeat offense under Sec. 26-131(a), or a class 4 misdemeanor fined up to $250.00 under Sec. 26-131(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chesapeake have a specific rule for booming bass music?
Who decides if bass noise counts as impulsive under Chesapeake's code?
Is amplified bass music also covered by the nighttime curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chesapeake
Compare Chesapeake to another location·View the Virginia noise from specific sources overview
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