Jackson, NJ Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)

Chapter 291's definitions section addresses bass noise two ways. First, the "dBC" definition tells enforcement officers to use the "C" weighting network specified in ANSI S1.4-1983, noting that "C" weighting is more sensitive to low frequencies than the "A" weighting network used for the chapter's general Table I, II and III sound level limits; § 291-8 requires that measurement to be taken with the meter set for "C" weighting, "fast" response whenever a sound production device's total sound increase is being checked against a neighborhood's residual level.

Second, the "plainly audible" definition in § 291-2 gives a bass-specific evidentiary shortcut: if the source under investigation is a portable or vehicular sound amplification device, detecting the rhythmic bass component of the music is sufficient to verify plainly audible sound, and the Noise Control Officer or Investigator need not determine the title, specific words, or the artist performing the song. That standard feeds directly into the distance-based limits in § 291-9F (50 feet by day, 25 feet at night for portable devices in public spaces) and § 291-10C and D (25 feet at night, 50 feet by day for vehicle sound systems), since both sections turn on whether the sound is plainly audible rather than a metered decibel reading.

Violations are enforced the same way as other Chapter 291 offenses, through a Noise Control Officer's notice of violation or notice of penalty assessment under § 291-11, with a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per day for a continuing violation.