Putnam County, FL Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Noise-sensitive limit
- 65 dB(A-wt) / 70 dB(C-wt), any time
- Weekday daytime limit
- 70 dB(A-wt) / 75 dB(C-wt)
- Fri-Sat night limit
- 75 dB(A-wt) / 80 dB(C-wt) until 11:30 p.m.
- Measurement point
- Property line nearest the sound source
- Enforcing officer
- Sheriff/code enforcement 'noise control officer'
- Governing section
- Putnam County Code § 18-200, Table 1
Summary
In unincorporated Putnam County, amplified sound is capped under two decibel scales at once: A-weighted for general loudness and C-weighted, which registers bass-heavy low-frequency energy the A-scale filters out. Code Sec. 18-200's Table 1 sets separate dB(C-wt) ceilings alongside the dB(A-wt) limits, so a subwoofer or bass-heavy speaker that stays under the A-weighted number can still violate the C-weighted cap.
Sec. 18-200. - Maximum permissible amplified sound levels. TABLE 1: MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AMPLIFIED SOUND LEVEL LIMITS (measured with a Sound Level Meter) ... Noise Sensitive LEQ Property Line nearest to the source of the Amplified Sound Any time/any day 8:01 a.m.—10:00 p.m. 65 dB(A-wt)/ 70 dB(C-wt)
Full Breakdown
Putnam County's noise ordinance (County Code ch. 18) does not rely on a single decibel scale. Sec. 18-199 defines a 'C-weighted sound pressure level' (dB(C-wt)), measured on the C-weighted network of a Type 2 sound level meter, alongside the standard A-weighted scale (dB(A-wt)). Because the C-weighted network picks up low frequencies that the A-weighted network discounts, Table 1 at Sec. 18-200 sets a second, higher decibel ceiling in dB(C-wt) for every time period and land use: at a noise-sensitive property line (hospitals, nursing homes, schools, courts), the limit is 65 dB(A-wt) or 70 dB(C-wt) at any time; for all other properties it runs 70/75 dB(A-wt/C-wt) on weekday days, drops to 65/70 overnight, and rises to 75/80 dB(A-wt/C-wt) on Friday and Saturday nights until 11:30 p.m.
Sec. 18-201 requires measurement at the property line closest to the source, roughly four feet above grade, over at least five minutes, using an integrating-averaging meter operated by someone trained in a county-approved noise-measurement program. Only safety signals and warning devices are exempt (Sec. 18-202). Enforcement rests with the 'noise control officer,' defined in Sec. 18-199 as the sheriff, a code enforcement officer, or any other officer the sheriff or the Board of County Commissioners designates; that officer can act on an anonymous complaint or personal audible observation (Sec. 18-203). Sec. 18-204 makes hindering enforcement unlawful and directs prosecution under F.S. § 125.69, the state's ordinance-violation penalty statute.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding either the dB(A-wt) or the dB(C-wt) ceiling in Table 1 is a violation on its own; a bass-heavy source can break the rule on the C-weighted number even while reading under the A-weighted limit. The noise control officer, a sheriff's deputy or code enforcement officer, measures from the affected property line and can act on an anonymous complaint. Sec. 18-204 refers prosecution to F.S. § 125.69, the ordinance-violation penalty statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Putnam County have a separate bass/low-frequency noise limit?
What is the nighttime amplified-sound limit in unincorporated Putnam County?
Who enforces the noise ordinance and how do I report a violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Putnam County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Putnam County to another location·View the Florida noise from specific sources overview
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