Clarksville, TN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Clarksville, TN, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Default rule
- loudspeakers banned on city property
- Permit issuer
- dept. of parks and recreation
- Application lead time
- 10 calendar days before use
- Max processing fee
- $25.00
- Excluded
- leased ball-field PA systems
Summary
Clarksville bans private use of loudspeakers or sound amplification devices on city-owned property outright, unless the department of parks and recreation issues a permit at least 10 days ahead for up to a $25 processing fee.
The use of loudspeakers or other sound amplification devices by private individuals, groups, businesses, organizations, associations, or non-governmental entities are prohibited on city-owned property, except as provided for herein.(1)Private persons, groups, businesses, organizations, associations, or non-governmental entities renting public parks or facilities may use loudspeakers or sound amplification devices on such city-owned property upon receipt of a valid permit for such use issued by the city department of parks and recreation. An applicant desiring to use a loudspeaker or other sound amplification device on city-owned property shall make application for a permit for such use at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the day of use... along with an application processing fee in an amount to be set by the department, but in no event greater than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 110 Update 2 | Zoning Ordinance: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-310 opens with a blanket prohibition: loudspeakers or other sound amplification devices used by private individuals, groups, businesses, organizations, associations, or non-governmental entities are barred from city-owned property, full stop, except as the section itself allows. 00. The department must approve a timely, fee-paid application unless the proposed use would likely interfere with other patrons' use and enjoyment of the property or would be a detriment to public health, welfare, or safety, and it is required to consult the chief of police or a designee on the traffic, crowd control, and public-safety impact before deciding.
As a condition of approval, the department can cap the decibel, power, or wattage level of the equipment and restrict its use to particular hours or areas so it does not collide with other events on the same property. , and can be revoked immediately if the permittee violates those laws. Public address systems at city ball-fields and sporting venues used under a separate lease or contract with a private league fall outside this section entirely.
Violations & Fines
Using a loudspeaker or sound amplification device on city-owned property without a valid parks and recreation permit is itself a violation of section 10-310's blanket prohibition, regardless of the volume produced. A permit already in hand can be revoked immediately if the permittee's conduct violates the state's disorderly conduct statutes, and a permittee who exceeds the decibel, wattage, or area limits the department imposed as a condition of approval falls outside the permit's protection and is treated as if unpermitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a PA system for an event in a Clarksville city park?
Can the city deny my loudspeaker permit application?
Does this permit requirement apply to ball-field announcer systems?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clarksville
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