Doña Ana County, NM Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Doña Ana County, NM, 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 standard
- Amplified sound capped at § 261-11 table levels
- Covers
- Live music, radios, stereos, TVs, loudspeakers
- Vehicle sound
- Cannot be audible on noise-sensitive property
- Outdoor speaker rule
- 2 violations in 24 months requires removal
- First offense fine
- $100 to $300 under § 261-24
- Enforcement
- Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department
Summary
Doña Ana County bars nighttime live music, radios, stereos or other sound amplifying equipment from exceeding the Code § 261-11 decibel limits on neighboring noise-sensitive property. An outdoor speaker or loudspeaker violating the rule twice within 24 months must be permanently removed from that location under § 261-14(D).
§ 261-14. Sound amplifying equipment. A. No person during nighttime shall practice, play, or conduct live music activities using sound amplifying equipment or operate a radio, television, stereo or other sound amplifying equipment resulting in sound levels exceeding the level set in § 261-11 when measured on any receiving noise-sensitive property or, if an apartment, within any dwelling unit or common area accessible to residents of the apartment... B. During nighttime, such amplified sound shall not be allowed to cause or contribute to exceeding the limits set forth for the receiving property as established in Table 1, § 261-11. D. Outdoor sound amplifiers. (1) If any outdoor sound amplifier, loudspeaker system or similar broadcasting device is audible at nighttime at any residence or other noise-sensitive property and is otherwise in violation of this article, use of the device at that facility shall thereafter be prohibited. If the user is determined to have violated this subsection on two or more occasions in any twenty-four-month period, the user shall thereafter immediately remove such device from use at that facility.
Full Breakdown
on weekends and holidays). Under Subsection A, no one may practice or play live music with sound amplifying equipment, or run a radio, television, stereo or other amplifying device, at a level that exceeds the § 261-11 decibel table when measured on the receiving noise-sensitive property, or that is audible inside another dwelling unit that is not the source. In an apartment building, the standard is measured within any other unit or shared common area. Subsection B ties the amplified-sound ceiling directly to Table 1 of § 261-11, meaning the same 50/60/70 dB(A) residential, commercial and industrial limits govern amplified music as govern any other nighttime noise.
Vehicle-mounted sound systems face an added rule under Subsection C: they cannot be run from a parked or moving vehicle so that the sound is audible anywhere on noise-sensitive property at nighttime. Outdoor speakers and loudspeaker systems get their own escalating consequence under Subsection D: a single nighttime violation is handled like any other noise complaint, but if the same facility's outdoor sound equipment is found in violation twice within a rolling 24-month period, the operator must permanently remove the device from that location, and a subsequent user of the site cannot bring back an outdoor amplifier until the Sheriff's Department is satisfied it can be operated in compliance.
Violations & Fines
A sound-amplifying-equipment violation is punished under Chapter 261's penalty scale in § 261-24: $100 to $300 for a first or second offense, with the $100 minimum not subject to suspension, and at least $300 for a third or later offense. No jail term applies. An outdoor amplifier or loudspeaker cited twice in 24 months must be removed from the property, and a court can also enjoin a continuing violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play live music or a stereo loudly at night in Doña Ana County?
What happens if my outdoor speakers get complaints more than once?
Does the amplified sound rule apply to car stereos?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Doña Ana County
Compare Doña Ana County to another location·View the New Mexico noise ordinances overview
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