Beloit, WI Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Beloit, WI, 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
- § 15.12(3)(c), amplified sound
- 30-foot rule
- audible past 30' of the source lot
- Also violates if
- heard inside a neighbor's home
- General first-offense forfeiture
- $100 to $500
- Enforcement
- police, Community Services Officer, Animal Control Officer
Summary
Beloit's noise ordinance, Code § 15.12, bans amplified music or sound equipment that can be heard across the street on residential property, inside another person's home, or more than 30 feet from the property line where it originates, on top of the section's general ban on unreasonably disturbing noise.
(2)GENERAL PROHIBITION. No person shall, at any time, make any noise tending to unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of any person in the vicinity thereof. ... (c)Using any musical instrument, radio, television, phonograph, stereo, cassette player, compact disc player or any sound amplification equipment if the sound created thereby:1.Can be heard on residential property across the street from the premises on which the sound is created.2.Can be heard inside the residence of another person and disturbs the peace and quiet of any person inside the residence.3.Can be heard on residential property of another at a distance of more than 30' from the property line of the premises on which the sound is created.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Update 01 - 05-2026).
Full Breakdown
12(2) sets a general prohibition on making any noise that tends to unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of anyone in the vicinity. Subsection (3)(c) makes that specific for amplified sound, listing musical instruments, radios, televisions, phonographs, stereos, cassette and compact disc players, and any sound amplification equipment. A violation occurs if the sound can be heard on residential property across the street from where it originates, if it can be heard inside another person's residence and disturbs the peace of anyone inside, or if it can be heard on another's residential property more than 30 feet from the property line of the source.
The section's findings clause states the City Council determined that excessive noise endangers physical and emotional health, interferes with legitimate business and recreation, depresses property values and reduces quality of life. Subsection (5) exempts noise made to request help or warn of an unsafe condition, certain emergency vehicles listed under Wis. 94(16)(b), and City-sponsored or City-authorized concerts, parades, festivals and fireworks displays.
Violations & Fines
Section 15.12 carries no dedicated forfeiture schedule of its own, so violations are penalized under the Code's general penalty, § 25.04(1): $100 to $500 for a first offense, $200 to $500 for a second offense within a year, and $300 to $500 for a third, plus costs of prosecution. The Code's citation-authority table, § 25.04(4)(d), lists the Community Services Officer and Animal Control Officer, alongside sworn police officers, as authorized to issue noise citations under § 15.12.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can music be at a Beloit house party?
Is there a decibel limit in Beloit's noise ordinance?
Are City festivals exempt from the noise rule?
Who enforces Beloit's noise ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beloit
Compare Beloit to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Rock County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.