Aurora, CO Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Aurora, 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
- Residential daytime cap
- 55 dBA, 7am-9pm
- Residential nighttime cap
- 45 dBA, 9pm-7am
- PA/loudspeaker curfew
- No use 10pm-7am near homes
- Commercial zone cap
- 60/55 dBA
- Governing instrument
- UDO, not City Code Ch. 146
Summary
Aurora caps amplified sound and loudspeakers at 55 dBA (day) / 45 dBA (night) at residential property lines, and bars PA systems near homes from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
b. Using, operating, or permitting the use or operation of any radio receiving set, loudspeaker, musical instrument, television, phonograph, tape player, or other machine or device for the production or reproduction of sound in such a manner as to violate the maximum permissible sound levels in Table 4.11-1, is prohibited. c. Using or operating any loudspeaker, public address system, or similar device between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., in a manner that creates a noise disturbance to a residential real property boundary is prohibited, unless the activity is authorized by a temporary permit. | Table 4.11-1: Residential 55 dBA (7am-9pm) / 45 dBA (9pm-7am); Commercial or Mixed-Use 60/55; I-1 zone district 70/65; I-2 zone district 80/75.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under the Aurora Unified Development Ordinance, operating a radio, loudspeaker, musical instrument, TV, phonograph, or similar sound device that exceeds the maximum permissible sound levels in UDO Table 4.11-1 is prohibited citywide. At a residential property boundary the cap is 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 45 dBA from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.; commercial/mixed-use boundaries allow 60/55 dBA, and the I-1 and I-2 industrial districts allow up to 70/65 and 80/75 dBA. Separately, running a loudspeaker or public address system between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in a way that creates a noise disturbance at a residential property line is prohibited outright unless covered by a temporary permit. City-sanctioned park/recreation events and special-use-permitted activities (parades, fireworks) are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Enforced by the City; violations of the UDO noise standards are a general municipal-code violation. The UDO also cross-references City Code Ch. 94 (Unnecessary Noise; Disturbing the Peace) as an alternate/complaint-driven enforcement path where a more specific standard applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play amplified music in my backyard at night in Aurora?
Does the daytime limit change by zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.