Benton County, AR Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Benton County, AR, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Bars, night clubs, amplified-sound venues
- Noise standard
- Reasonable noise levels outside building
- Time restriction
- Board may limit hours of use
- General standard
- No noise disruptive to neighbors, Sec. 4.7(A)
- Governing section
- Ch. VI § 6.6, Table 6.4, Note 8
Summary
Benton County's land use table requires any facility using an amplified sound system, such as a bar, night club or entertainment venue, to keep noise at reasonable levels outside the building. The Planning Board can also restrict what hours amplified sound is allowed as a condition of site plan approval.
A. Noise: no proposed use may create levels of noise that is hazardous or disruptive to the peace and enjoyment of adjacent properties. Three specific factors determine the impact of noise: intensity, frequency, and duration. 8. ... Facilities using an amplified sound system shall not exceed reasonable noise levels external to the building and may be restricted regarding the time of day that such amplified noise may be permitted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
4, sets special conditions for taverns, bars, night clubs, adult entertainment venues and other membership clubs that go through site plan review. 7(A) provides that 'no proposed use may create levels of noise that is hazardous or disruptive to the peace and enjoyment of adjacent properties,' measured by 'intensity, frequency, and duration,' with intensity gauged in decibels. Together the two provisions give the Planning Board authority to condition a site plan approval for any amplified-sound venue on both a noise ceiling measured outside the building and a curfew on when amplified sound can run, tailored to the specific location and its neighbors.
Because Note 8 sits inside the site plan review table, it applies only to developments that trigger review under Chapter VI, meaning an existing venue that predates the Ordinance, or one that qualifies for a Chapter VI exemption, is not independently bound by Note 8 unless it also falls under the Chapter IV performance standard.
Violations & Fines
A venue whose amplified sound exceeds what the Planning Board deems reasonable, or that runs past a time restriction imposed as a site plan condition, is out of compliance with Table 6.4, Note 8 and Section 4.7(A). Continuing to operate in that condition is unlawful under Section 1.2, and Section 2.6 exposes the operator to the penalties in Section 1-9 of the Benton County Code of Ordinances, in addition to any site plan condition the Board revisits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Benton County limit how loud a bar's music can be?
Is there a specific decibel limit for amplified music in unincorporated Benton County?
Can the county set a curfew on outdoor concerts or bar music?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
Compare Benton County to another location·View the Arkansas noise ordinances overview
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