Schaumburg, IL Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Nighttime decibel limit
- 55 dBA, A-weighted, at residential property line
- Restricted hours
- 10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. (8:00 a.m. into Sunday)
- Measurement standard
- ANSI-conforming sound level meter procedures
- Governing sections
- Village Code §§ 97.01-97.04
- General penalty
- $100 to $50,000 fine per day, § 10.99
Summary
Schaumburg does not write a bass-specific rule; it caps every continuous or recurring sound source, subwoofers, home theater rigs, HVAC compressors, at 55 A-weighted decibels measured at the property line of a receiving residential lot. The ceiling applies weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and stretches to 8:00 a.m. heading into Sunday, with compliance measured on an ANSI-calibrated sound level meter, not a resident's ear.
No person shall operate or cause to be operated on any property within the village any continuous, predictable or recurring source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound pressure level measured on a sound level meter using the A-weighting network at or within the property limits of the receiving residential property which exceeds fifty-five (55) decibels between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Sunday night to Saturday morning and the hours of 10:00 p.m. through 8:00 a.m. Saturday night to Sunday morning.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56 Update 1 | Policy Manual: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
03 of the Village Code sets Schaumburg's only numeric noise ceiling, and it governs low-frequency bass the same way it governs any other continuous or recurring sound: by decibel level, not by frequency. heading into Sunday morning) violates the section regardless of what is producing the sound. 04 requires the village to measure that sound using procedures that conform to American National Standards Institute practices, so enforcement relies on a calibrated sound level meter rather than an officer's subjective impression of loudness. The A-weighting requirement is worth knowing if you are the one filing a bass complaint: A-weighting is the standard measurement network built into most sound meters, and it de-emphasizes very low frequencies compared to a C-weighted reading, so persistent bass that feels loud to a resident can still register under 55 dBA.
That is a limitation of the instrument, not an exception written into the ordinance. 03 decibel window can still be pursued under those broader provisions.
Violations & Fines
Schaumburg's noise chapter carries no chapter-specific fine, so violations fall under the Village Code's general penalty, § 10.99: a fine of not less than $100 and not exceeding $50,000 per offense, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense. A resident or business cited for exceeding the decibel limit can contest the reading in village court, where the ANSI-standard measurement procedure required by § 97.04 becomes the evidentiary basis for the citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Schaumburg regulate bass noise from subwoofers specifically?
How does the village measure a noise complaint?
What if the bass is loud but stays under 55 dBA?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Schaumburg
Compare Schaumburg to another location·View the Illinois noise from specific sources overview
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Low-Frequency Bass Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle low-frequency bass limits.