Knoxville, TN Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 18-5, vehicle audio equipment
- Audibility limit
- 50 feet from the vehicle
- Bass explicitly covered
- Includes bass reverberation
- Applies to
- Public streets, parks, private property
Summary
Knoxville limits car stereo and bass noise to what's audible 50 feet away, whether on public streets or from private property, and it explicitly counts bass reverberation as regulated sound even when lyrics aren't understandable.
no person shall use or operate any radio, tape player, record player, compact disc player or any similar device in or on a motor vehicle located on the public streets of the city, property owned by or leased to Knoxville's community development corporation, or within a public park, within a public parking lot or on any other public premise within the city, which is audible to a person of normal hearing sensitivity more than fifty (50) feet from such vehicle, nor shall any person use or operate any radio, tape player, record player, compact disc player or any similar device in or on a motor vehicle located on private property which is audible to a person of normal hearing sensitivity more than fifty (50) feet outside the real property boundary of said property. Words and phrases need not be discernible for said sound to be "audible", and said sound shall include bass reverberation.
(Ord. No. O-507-98, § 1, 10-6-98)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Section 18-5 targets motor-vehicle audio equipment, radios, tape decks, CD players and similar devices, playing inside or from a vehicle on public streets, parking lots, parks or other public premises, and from vehicles on private property. The threshold is audibility to a person of normal hearing more than 50 feet from the vehicle (public locations) or 50 feet beyond the property line (private property). The section specifically states that words need not be discernible for the sound to count as audible, and that 'said sound shall include bass reverberation', so a thumping bassline that carries past 50 feet violates the ordinance even if no lyrics are intelligible.
Violations & Fines
Same general penalty as all Chapter 18 violations: fine up to $50, up to $500 in administrative costs, and/or up to 30 days jail; each occurrence is a separate offense (§ 1-9).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Knoxville's noise law cover bass you feel but can't make out words to?
Does this rule only apply on public streets?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
Compare Knoxville to another location·View the Tennessee noise from specific sources overview
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