Boulder County, CO Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Boulder County, CO, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Daytime residential limit
- 55 dB(A), 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Nighttime residential limit
- 50 dB(A), 7 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Parked-vehicle music measured
- 10 feet from property line
- First-offense fine
- $30, up to $300 for repeats
- Offense classification
- Class 2 Petty Offense
Summary
Boulder County treats amplified music from a parked or non-moving vehicle as noise from a fixed source, measured 10 feet from the property line, and caps residential noise at 55 dB(A) by day and 50 dB(A) overnight. Violations are a Class 2 Petty Offense with fines climbing from $30 to $300.
C. Sound from a non-vehicular source shall be measured at a distance of ten feet from the property line of the property where such sound is radiating, except that where the noise source is located on public property owned by a governmental entity, the sound shall be measured at a distance of ten feet from the property line or fifty feet from the noise source, whichever is less. The sound of amplified music from a non-moving vehicle on private property or public property which is not a road or highway shall be considered "sound from a non-vehicular source."... Sound from a non-vehicular source located in a residential area, shall not exceed the following limits: 7:00 a.m.-7 p.m. of the same day: 55 dB(A); 7:00 p.m.-7 a.m. of the following day: 50 dB(A).
Full Breakdown
Ordinance No. 92-28 regulates noise on both public and private property in unincorporated Boulder County. 040 sets out how sound is measured: a moving vehicle's noise, amplified music included, is measured 50 feet from the center of its travel lane on a road, or 50 feet from the vehicle if it's on private property or a lot that isn't a road. Amplified music from a vehicle that is parked and not moving, though, counts as a non-vehicular source instead, measured 10 feet from the property line where the sound originates, or 10 feet from the line or 50 feet from the source on public property, whichever is less.
050(E) makes any periodic, impulsive, or shrill noise unlawful once it's within 5 dB(A) of those limits. 020(A) reaches well beyond housing itself: it covers schools, hospitals, nursing homes, parks, open space, and even undeveloped land next to a residential area regardless of its zoning. Construction noise gets its own daytime allowance of 80 dB(A) and nighttime cap of 75 dB(A). , among others. § 16-2-201.
Violations & Fines
A first noise violation, amplified music included, is a Class 2 Petty Offense punishable by a $30 fine plus court costs. Repeat offenses by the same person within one year climb on a graduated schedule, $30 more each time, up to a $300 maximum. Officers can use the state's penalty assessment procedure under C.R.S. § 16-2-201 instead of a full court summons for any violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is loud music from a parked car in my neighborhood measured?
What's the decibel limit for noise in a residential neighborhood at night?
What's the fine for a noise violation in unincorporated Boulder County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder County
Compare Boulder County to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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