Auburn, WA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Auburn, WA, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- ACC 8.28.010(B)(5)-(6)
- Vehicle audio limit
- Audible beyond 50 feet from vehicle
- Portable equipment off-property
- Audible beyond 50 feet from source
- Portable equipment on-property
- Audible beyond 50 feet from property line
- First-offense penalty
- Civil penalty up to $250
- Third-strike consequence
- Misdemeanor under ACC 1.24.010
Summary
Auburn caps audio volume from vehicle stereos and portable audio equipment such as radios and CD players at whatever is audible beyond 50 feet, whether the sound comes from a parked or moving vehicle or from a device carried or set up on private property. ACC 8.28.010(B)(5)-(6) makes exceeding that distance a public disturbance noise, enforced with civil penalties by Auburn police.
5. Sound from motor vehicle audio sound systems, such as tape players, radios and compact disc players, operated at a volume so as to be audible greater than 50 feet from the vehicle itself; 6. Sound from portable audio equipment, such as tape players, radios and compact disc players, operated at a volume so as to be audible greater than 50 feet from the source and not operated upon the property of the operator, and if operated on the property of the operator, then so as to be audible greater than 50 feet from the boundary of the property;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
010(B)(5) prohibits operating a motor vehicle audio sound system, including tape players, radios and compact disc players, at a volume audible more than 50 feet from the vehicle itself. Subsection (B)(6) extends the same 50-foot audibility test to portable audio equipment not operated on the property of the operator, and separately caps portable equipment used on the operator's own property at 50 feet from the boundary of that property, so a party stereo in a backyard is measured against the property line rather than the device.
Both provisions are distance-based rather than decibel-based: officers determine a violation by whether the sound carries past 50 feet, not by a metered decibel reading. from the whole chapter. 010 for a third violation at the same location within 12 months.
Violations & Fines
Playing a vehicle stereo or portable audio equipment loud enough to carry more than 50 feet draws a civil penalty of up to $250 for a first offense under ACC 8.28.020, rising to $500 for a second offense inside two years. A third violation at the same location within 12 months becomes a misdemeanor under ACC 1.24.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Auburn measure whether music is too loud?
Can I play music in my own backyard as loud as I want?
What is the penalty for a loud car stereo in Auburn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
Compare Auburn to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.