Denton, TX Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 17-20(c)(3)c.
- Threshold
- Perceptible in neighbor's home, no dBA
- Applies
- Any time, day or night
- Max fine
- $500 per violation
Summary
Denton outlaws bass reverberation or vibration from speakers or amplifiers that a neighbor can feel, see, or hear inside their own home, with no decibel threshold required to prove a violation.
The creation of vibration or bass reverberations at any time that is perceptible inside a complaining person's residence, through the sense of touch, or through visual observation of moving objects, or through the sense of hearing.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37 Update 1 | Development Code: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Under Denton's noise ordinance, creating vibration or bass reverberation that's perceptible inside a complaining person's residence, by touch, by watching objects move, or by hearing it, is a noise nuisance at any time of day or night. Unlike the ordinance's other noise categories, this clause carries no dBA measurement requirement: perceptibility inside the neighboring residence is itself the violation. Code Enforcement or police can act on a resident complaint.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor, fine up to $500 per Sec. 17-4; chronic offenders (2+ prior convictions) face a fine of $300 to $500 minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Denton measure bass in decibels?
Can I be cited at any hour for bass vibration?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Denton to another location·View the Texas noise from specific sources overview
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