Amplified music rules in Hawaii County, HI — also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances — set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Amplified music, PA systems, and loudspeakers must stay within the HAR 11-46 dBA limits at your property line (55 dBA day / 45 dBA night in residential zones). Exceeding them requires a DOH noise permit or variance.
There is no separate city amplified-sound ordinance; the statewide DOH Community Noise Control rules (HAR 11-46) govern amplified music and loudspeakers island-wide. Amplified sound is a stationary noise source and must not exceed the Class A/B/C sound limits at the receiving property line: 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA night in residential (Class A) zones, 60/50 dBA in apartment/business/resort (Class B), and 70 dBA in agricultural/industrial (Class C). Events, bars, or performances that will exceed those limits must obtain a DOH community-noise permit or variance in advance. Impulsive sound may run 10 dBA higher than Table 1.
Amplified sound over the dBA limits without a permit is a HAR 11-46 violation; DOH fines reach $10,000 per offense, each day separate.
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