Everett, WA Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- Plainly audible = detectable by unaided ear
- Bass rule
- Rhythmic bass alone is enough
- No ID needed
- Song title/artist not required
- Enforces
- EMC 20.08.090 nuisance/disturbance noise
Summary
Everett's noise code defines 'plainly audible' to explicitly include detection of rhythmic bass alone: officers don't need to identify a song's lyrics or title, just hear the bass, to enforce nuisance and disturbance noise violations under Everett Municipal Code § 20.08.020.
'Plainly audible' means any sound for which any of the content of that sound, such as, but not limited to, comprehensible musical rhythms, is communicated to a person using their unaided hearing faculties. For the purposes of enforcement of this code, the detection of any component of sound, including, but not limited to, the rhythmic bass by a person using their unaided hearing faculties is sufficient to verify plainly audible sound.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4194-26, passed July 29, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Everett Municipal Code § 20.08.020 defines 'plainly audible' broadly: any sound content, 'such as, but not limited to, comprehensible musical rhythms', detectable by unaided hearing counts. The section adds that 'the detection of any component of sound, including, but not limited to, the rhythmic bass by a person using their unaided hearing faculties is sufficient to verify plainly audible sound,' and an officer need not identify the song, artist, or lyrics. This standard drives the § 20.08.090 public nuisance/disturbance rules, which prohibit sound plainly audible across a property line (or 50-100 feet, depending on the source) from audio equipment, band sessions, and vehicle stereos.
Violations & Fines
Refusing or intentionally failing to stop a public nuisance or disturbance noise when directed by an enforcement officer is a misdemeanor; three prior violations in 365 days elevate a further offense to a gross misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Everett cite me for bass I can hear but not the song?
Where does the plainly-audible bass standard apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Everett
Compare Everett to another location·View the Washington noise from specific sources overview
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Low-Frequency Bass Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle low-frequency bass limits.