Burlington, WI Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Burlington, 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
- City Code § 219-2A(7)
- Permit required from
- City or City Administrator
- Even-when-approved cutoff
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Revocation authority
- City, Administrator, or Police Dept.
- Chapter adopted
- 11-1-2011, Ord. No. 1936(13)
- First-offense forfeiture
- $5 to $500 plus costs
Summary
Burlington requires prior City or City Administrator approval before using a loudspeaker or sound-amplifying device on streets or in parks, and even an approved device cannot run between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. under City Code § 219-2.
(7) The use of any loudspeaker or sound-amplifying device on the streets or in the parks of the City without the prior approval of the City and/or the City Administrator. Any such permitted loudspeaker or sound-amplifying device shall not be used between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Additionally, the City, City Administrator, or the City of Burlington Police Department may immediately withdraw and revoke any prior approval given for the use of the loudspeaker or sound-amplifying device when and if, in their respective discretion, the volume method or manner of use becomes a nuisance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4997580; v29 updated 2026-07-07; through 07-07-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 219-2A(7) treats unapproved amplified sound as a per se noise violation: using any loudspeaker or sound-amplifying device on the streets or in the parks of the City without prior approval of the City or the City Administrator is automatically unlawful, with no separate showing of disturbance required. m. The City, the City Administrator, or the City of Burlington Police Department can immediately withdraw and revoke a prior approval, at their discretion, if the volume, method or manner of use becomes a nuisance, meaning an approval already granted offers no fixed protection once complaints arise.
Section 219-3 lists narrow exemptions from the whole noise chapter that can cover approved amplified sound at City-sanctioned public events such as parades, holiday celebrations and ChocolateFest, and for sounds allowed under the separate sign and zoning provisions of § 315-95. Chapter 219 took effect 11-1-2011 by Ord. No. 1936(13), and § 219-1 supplies the backstop general prohibition on any noise that is unreasonably loud or unreasonably disturbs the comfort, peace or repose of a person in the area, measured against an average person of normal sensitivities.
Violations & Fines
Operating a loudspeaker without City approval, or running one past the 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. cutoff, is subject to the § 1-4 general penalty: $5 to $500 plus costs for a first offense and $10 to $1,000 for a repeat offense within a year, with jail time up to 90 days for unpaid forfeitures. Section 219-4B further authorizes the City to seek injunctive relief against continued violations beyond the standard forfeiture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to use a loudspeaker in a Burlington park?
Can an approved sound system run all night in Burlington?
Who can revoke a Burlington amplified-sound approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burlington
Compare Burlington to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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