Citrus County, FL Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Test used
- Plainly audible at 25+ feet
- Bass-specific standard
- Rhythmic reverberating bass alone qualifies
- No song ID required
- Officer need not name words or artist
- Enforcing agents
- Code Compliance Division; Sheriff's Office
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Citrus County only
Summary
Unincorporated Citrus County lets a code compliance officer or deputy cite rhythmic, reverberating bass noise as a violation without identifying the song or words: audibility to the ordinary ear from 25 feet away is enough proof under the county's noise measurement standard.
(g)In determining whether a sound is plainly audible, an enforcement agent is entitled to measure the sound according to the following standards:(1)The primary means of detection shall be by means of the enforcement agent's ordinary auditory senses, so long as the agent's hearing is not enhanced by any mechanical device, such as a microphone or hearing aid.(2)The enforcement agent must have a direct line of sight and hearing to the source of the sound so that the agent can readily identify the offending source and the distance involved.(3)The enforcement agent need not determine the particular words or phrases being produced or the name of any song or artist producing the sound. The detection of a rhythmic bass reverberating type sound is sufficient to constitute a plainly audible sound.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).
Full Breakdown
Citrus County Code § 21-25(g) sets the standards an enforcement agent uses to determine whether a sound is "plainly audible," the alternate test to the numeric Table I decibel limits for noise crossing a real property line under § 21-22. Plainly audible is defined at § 21-11 as sound clearly or understandably loud enough to be heard by normal hearing at 25 feet or more from the source, without any mechanical amplification of the listener's own hearing. Section 21-25(g) specifically addresses bass-heavy sound: the officer must have a direct line of sight and hearing to the source and must be able to identify it and the distance involved, but need not make out particular words, phrases, or the name of a song or artist.
Detecting a "rhythmic bass reverberating type sound" is, on its own, enough to constitute a plainly audible violation. m. Enforcement follows the same warning-then-citation process as other noise violations under § 21-32 and § 21-33, run by the Citrus County Code Compliance Division and the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
Violations & Fines
A citation charges a civil infraction under § 21-33 with a maximum $500 civil penalty. As with other noise offenses, a first citation typically follows an unheeded warning, and repeat violations of the same class can double the penalty or trigger a mandatory court appearance under § 21-34.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be cited for bass noise even if it doesn't register on a decibel meter?
Does the officer have to identify the song to cite me for loud bass?
How far away does the bass have to be heard to count as a violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Citrus County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Citrus County to another location·View the Florida noise from specific sources overview
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