Will County, IL Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Amplified sound rule
- Audible 75 ft beyond property line
- Nighttime noise ban
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Fine range
- $150 to $500 per offense
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated Will County only
- Frequency/decibel standard
- None - audibility test only
Summary
Will County bars electronically amplified sound - including bass-heavy music and car audio - audible 75 feet beyond the property line in unincorporated residential areas, plus all covered noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
In all residential districts within unincorporated Will County, no electronically amplified sound may be emitted from a property such that it may be heard 75 feet beyond the property line of the property from which said sound originates.
(C) In all residential districts, and all business districts immediately adjacent to residential districts, within unincorporated Will County, no noise as defined may be emitted from a property between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
(D) Exceptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
(1) Construction trades as defined herein.
(2) Emergency related sounds are defined herein.
(3) Athletic events held on park or school property or events which have been approved by the county or other relevant jurisdiction.
(4) Any church, temple, synagogue, mosque or similar place of worship, only with regard to exception from division (B) hereof for interior sound.
(5) Any person operating a farm tractor or implement of husbandry as defined in the Illinois Vehicle Code while engaged in an agricultural activity. (Ord. 11-287, passed 8-18-2011) Penalty, see § 133.99
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).
Full Breakdown
Will County's noise ordinance sets no separate decibel or frequency threshold for bass, subwoofers, or car stereos. Instead, § 133.04(B) bars any electronically amplified sound audible 75 feet beyond the property line in residential districts of unincorporated Will County - a standard that reaches bass-heavy systems as readily as any other amplified source. Section 133.04(C) adds a blanket ban on covered noise, including vehicle and music sound, between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in residential districts and adjoining business districts. Construction trades, emergency-related sounds, approved athletic events, interior worship sound, and farm equipment/husbandry implements are exempted. The rule applies only outside Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield and Lockport, which enforce their own municipal noise codes.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 133.04 carries a fine of not less than $150 and not more than $500 per offense under § 133.99(D), plus any applicable administrative fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Will County set a specific bass or subwoofer decibel limit?
Does this ordinance apply inside Joliet or Bolingbrook?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois noise from specific sources overview
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