Blaine, MN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Blaine, MN, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Nighttime distance presumption
- 50 feet, 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.
- Daytime distance presumption
- 100 feet, 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
- Enforcing agency
- Blaine Police Department
- Maximum penalty
- $1,000 fine / 90 days jail
- Vehicle sound liability
- Driver or vehicle owner/controller
Summary
In the City of Blaine, running a radio, PA system or any electronic sound equipment loud enough to be plainly audible 50 feet away between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or 100 feet away between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., is presumed a noise violation under City Code Sec. 50-236(2).
(2)Radios, phonographs, paging systems, and similar devices. No person shall use or operate, or permit the use or operation of, any electronic sound system or audio equipment or other devices of any nature designed for the production or reproduction of sound, in a distinctly and loudly audible manner as to unreasonably disturb the peace, quiet, and comfort of any person nearby;a.It shall be presumed that a violation of this section has occurred when any electronic sound system or audio equipment or other sound-producing device is operated in a manner in which it is plainly audible, at a distance of 50 feet or more, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. It shall be presumed that a violation of this section has occurred when any electronic sound system, audio equipment, or other sound-producing device is operated in a manner in which it is plainly audible, at a distance of 100 feet or more, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Full Breakdown
Blaine's noise ordinance, City Code Sec. 50-236(2), targets radios, phonographs, paging systems and similar devices, covering any electronic sound system or audio equipment operated in a distinctly and loudly audible manner that unreasonably disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of anyone nearby. The section builds in two distance-and-time presumptions the Blaine Police Department can use to prove a violation without a decibel meter: sound plainly audible at 50 feet or more between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is presumed unlawful, and sound plainly audible at 100 feet or more between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. is presumed unlawful.
When the offending sound system is mounted in a vehicle, both the driver and the person who owns or controls the vehicle can be cited. Narrow carve-outs exist for amplifying equipment used at city-authorized, sponsored or permitted activities conducted within their license terms, church bells and chimes, school bells, emergency civil defense signals and antitheft devices. This sits within Division 2 (Noise) of Chapter 50, Offenses, which also carries a general prohibition in Sec. 50-235 against any distinctly and loudly audible noise that unreasonably disturbs comfort, peace or property enjoyment, not limited by the specific list in Sec.
50-236. A violation of this Code defaults to the general penalty in Sec. 1-7: a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, plus costs of prosecution, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Violating Sec. 50-236(2) is a misdemeanor under the Chapter 1 general penalty (Sec. 1-7): up to $1,000 in fines, up to 90 days in jail, or both, plus prosecution costs. Blaine Police can cite the vehicle's driver or owner when amplified sound comes from a car stereo, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can I play music in my Blaine yard at night?
Does the amplified sound rule apply during the day?
Can I be cited for a car stereo that's too loud?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Blaine
Compare Blaine to another location·View the Minnesota noise ordinances overview
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