Cheektowaga, NY Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Cheektowaga, NY, 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
- Town Code § 166-5A
- Applies to
- Radios, stereos, loudspeakers, instruments, vehicles
- Numeric limit
- Table I limits under § 166-6
- Exemption
- Industrial manufacturing plants on own property
- First-offense fine
- Up to $250 or 15 days jail
Summary
Cheektowaga bans playing a radio, stereo, loudspeaker, or musical instrument, whether stationary or in a moving vehicle, at a volume that carries across a property line or through a shared wall above the limits in Table I. Code § 166-5A exempts only industrial manufacturing plants operating on their own property.
A. Amplified sound. The operation, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, receiver, television, phonograph, tape player, compact disc or digital sound systems, sound amplifier, boom box, musical instrument, loudspeaker, or similar device, whether from a moving vehicle or stationary location, which reproduces or amplifies sound in such a manner as to create a sound level across a real property line, or through partitions common to two or more persons within a building, or from a stationary or moving vehicle, which exceeds the limits set forth in Table I. (This subsection does not apply to industrial manufacturing plants in the regular conduct of their business on their own properties.)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4996449; v35 updated 2026-05-26; through 05-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 166-5A of the Noise Law names amplified sound as one of the specific acts the Town deems loud, disturbing, or excessive noise. The prohibition covers a radio, receiver, television, phonograph, tape player, compact disc or digital sound system, sound amplifier, boom box, musical instrument, or loudspeaker, whether the device sits in a fixed location or plays from a moving vehicle. A violation occurs when the reproduced or amplified sound crosses a real property line, passes through a partition shared by two or more residents in the same building, or comes from a stationary or moving vehicle at a level exceeding the maximum permissible sound levels set in Table I under § 166-6, which vary by zone and time of day.
The only carve-out in this subsection is for industrial manufacturing plants conducting their regular business on their own property. A separate exemption applies to music played in connection with a military, civic, or authorized parade, a funeral procession, a religious ceremony, or a performance held with municipal consent (§ 166-9A(7)). is treated as presumptive evidence of a violation (§ 166-8A).
Violations & Fines
A conviction for playing amplified sound above the Table I limits is punishable under § 166-13A by a fine up to $250, up to 15 days in jail, or both. The property owner or person in control when the violation occurs is separately liable, and each day the excessive sound continues is a distinct offense subject to its own fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get cited for playing loud music from my car stereo in Cheektowaga?
Is there a curfew for amplified music in Cheektowaga?
Are outdoor concerts or parades exempt from the amplified sound rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cheektowaga
New York rules heatmap·Compare Cheektowaga to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Erie County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.