Melbourne, FL Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- 31.5 Hz daytime limit
- 85 dB (A), 89 dB (B), 90 dB (C), 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- 63 Hz daytime limit
- 72 dB (A), 75 dB (B), 78 dB (C)
- 31.5 Hz night limit
- 85, 85 and 89 dB (A, B, C), 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Pure tone adjustment
- Table 2 limits drop five dB (A-wt) under § 26-25(d)
- Measurement
- At least five minutes, at the source property line or farther
- Vibration
- Banned if discernible at or beyond the property line
- Variance cap
- No variance may exceed 365 days; apply to board of adjustment
Summary
Melbourne caps bass band by band under City Code § 26-25. In the 31.5 Hz octave band, the daytime limit from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. is 85 dB in a noise-sensitive zone, 89 dB in residential areas and 90 dB in commercial areas. In the 63 Hz band the limits are 72, 75 and 78 dB. Night limits are equal or lower in every band, and a pure tone triggers a five dB reduction in the Table 2 limits.
TABLE 3. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE OCTAVE BAND SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 10:00 P.M. Octave Band Center Frequency Maximum Allowable Octave Band Sound Pressure Levels (dB) for Land Use Category* Hertz A B C 31.5 85 89 90 63 72 75 78 125 61 65 69 250 54 58 64 500 52 57 62 1000 55 60 65 2000 53 57 62 4000 47 52 57 8000 62 67 72 *See Table 1. ... TABLE 4. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE OCTAVE BAND SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS FROM 10:00 P.M. TO 7:00 A.M. Octave Band Center Frequency Maximum Allowable Octave Band Sound Pressure Levels (dB) for Land Use Category* Hertz A B C 31.5 85 85 89 63 72 72 75 125 61 61 65 250 54 54 58 500 52 52 57 1000 55 55 60 2000 53 53 57 4000 47 47 52 8000 62 62 67 *See Table 1. ... (d) For any source of sound which emits a pure tone, the sound level limits set forth in Table 2 shall be reduced by five dB (A-wt).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32).
Full Breakdown
Section 26-25 sorts land into four categories in Table 1: A for noise-sensitive zones, B for residential areas, hotels, motels, parks and playgrounds, C for commercial, professional and industrial areas, and D for the downtown entertainment noise district. Tables 3 and 4 then limit sound pressure in eight octave bands, and only categories A, B and C appear in those two tables. Under the octave band definition in § 26-23, the 31.5 Hz band covers 22 to 44 Hz and the 63 Hz band covers 44 to 88 Hz, so those first two rows are the ones that catch subwoofers, bass cabinets and car-stereo thump.
From 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Table 3 allows 85, 89 and 90 dB at 31.5 Hz for categories A, B and C, and 72, 75 and 78 dB at 63 Hz. At 125 Hz the daytime figures are 61, 65 and 69 dB. From 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., Table 4 prints 85, 85 and 89 dB at 31.5 Hz, 72, 72 and 75 dB at 63 Hz, and 61, 61 and 65 dB at 125 Hz. Residential bass is therefore held to a lower ceiling after 10:00 p.m. than during the day. The limits follow the receiving land use: a category limit cannot be exceeded by noise coming from the same category or a different one, so a speaker in a house is still held to the noise-sensitive figure if the sound lands in a school, library, church or hospital zone.
Two extra rules matter for bass. First, § 26-25(d) cuts the Table 2 limits by five dB (A-wt) for any source emitting a pure tone, and § 26-23 sets the pure tone test for low frequencies at 15 dB above the average of the two neighboring one-third octave bands for center frequencies at or below 125 Hz. Second, § 26-27(b) separately bans any vibration discernible at or beyond the property line of the lot it comes from, which reaches bass that shakes walls even when the meter reading is under the limit.
Measurement follows § 26-26: a sound level meter, readings taken no closer to the source than the source property line, a measurement period of at least five minutes, and a microphone about five feet above the ground away from reflecting surfaces. Special activity permits change the evening picture: amplified music must stop at 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 12:00 midnight Friday and Saturday unless the permit extends the hours.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 26-27 is punished as provided in section 1-14 or under Florida Statutes ch. 162. The police department or any authorized code enforcement officer measures the sound with a meter, issues a warning directing the person to comply, and, failing immediate compliance, issues a notice to appear, makes an arrest, or schedules a hearing before the code enforcement board. Under § 26-26(13), refusing an officer's direction to briefly stop the noise during a measurement is itself a violation. Section 26-32 also lets the city council or any substantially affected person sue in circuit court to enjoin the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Melbourne frequencies count as bass?
Does a subwoofer limit change at night in Melbourne?
Can a steady bass note be penalized more strictly?
Is loud car-stereo bass covered by this ordinance?
How can someone get a variance for low-frequency sound?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Melbourne
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Melbourne to another location·View the Florida noise from specific sources overview
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