Bergenfield, NJ Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Bergenfield, NJ, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Curfew window
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Governing section
- § 215-8C, exterior loudspeakers
- First offense
- Up to $200 fine or 30 days
- Repeat offense (6 months)
- $200-$500 fine, up to 90 days
- Enforcing agency
- Bergenfield Police Department
- Legal test
- 'Plainly audible' beyond property line
Summary
Bergenfield bars anyone from running an exterior loudspeaker or other amplified sound device, fixed or mounted on a vehicle, aircraft or boat, that stays plainly audible at or beyond the property line or on a public way between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. The Borough Police Department enforces § 215-8C, with fines starting at $200 per offense.
C. Exterior loudspeakers. Using or operating any mechanical device or loudspeaker in a fixed or movable position exterior to any building or mounted upon any aircraft, motor vehicle or motorboat, such that the sound therefrom is plainly audible at or beyond the property boundary of the source or on a public way between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. the following day.
Full Breakdown
the following day. 'Plainly audible' is defined in § 215-3 as sound whose information content, such as understandable speech or comprehensible musical rhythm, is unambiguously communicated to a listener, so the test is what a listener outside the property can make out, not a decibel meter reading. The Police Department enforces the chapter under § 215-4 and may issue a summons and complaint immediately or, where the source is not a vehicle on a public right-of-way, a 24-hour written abatement notice under § 215-5 before escalating to a summons. A violating device also remains subject to abatement as a public nuisance by injunction under § 215-11, independent of any criminal penalty.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of § 215-8C carries a fine of up to $200, imprisonment in the county jail for up to 30 days, or both, with each day of continuing violation charged as a separate offense under § 215-10A. A second violation within six months carries a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, under § 215-10B. The Police Department may also seek a restraining order or injunction to abate the source as a public nuisance under § 215-11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run outdoor speakers after 10 p.m. in Bergenfield?
Does the loudspeaker rule apply to a car stereo or boat sound system?
What happens the first time I'm cited under the loudspeaker rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bergenfield
Compare Bergenfield to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.