Brown County, WI Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Brown County, 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
- Restricted hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Audibility test
- 75 ft beyond lot line
- Covers
- radios, jukeboxes, amplifiers
- Applies in
- unincorporated towns only
Summary
At night, Brown County bars radios, jukeboxes and other electric sound-amplification devices on commercial or industrial property from being audible 75 feet past the lot line into a residential zone.
During nighttime hours, no person may operate a radio, juke box, or other electric sound amplification device emitting sound from any industrial or commercial zone or commercial premises that is audible in a residential zone under normal conditions from a distance of 75 feet or more beyond the lot line of the property which emits the sound.
(5) MEASUREMENT. When required pursuant to this ordinance, measurement of sound pressure shall be made either with a sound level meter that meets or exceeds the ANSI requirements of the American Standard Specification for Sound Level Meters, Type I or Type II (ANSI s1.4 - 1071) or with an Octave Band Analyzer that meets or exceeds the requirements of ANSI (S1.6 - 1960) or any subsequent nationally adopted standards superseding the above standards. In both cases, the instruments should be maintained in calibration and good working order and operated in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
(6) EXEMPTIONS. The following activities shall be exempt from the regulations of this section, provided reasonable steps are taken to minimize the noise emitted.
39(3)
(a) Construction Sites, Public Utility Projects, Public Works. The daytime
criteria, as set forth in (2), shall not apply to construction sites, public utilities, and public
works projects and operations during daytime hours Monday through Saturday, however, the
Full Breakdown
Brown County Code § 39.01(4) provides that during nighttime hours (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.), no one may operate a radio, jukebox, or other electric sound-amplification device on industrial or commercial property, or commercial premises, if the sound is audible in a residential zone from 75 feet or more beyond the property's lot line. The rule targets amplified sound bleeding into homes at night and applies in the unincorporated towns of Brown County, Wisconsin; Green Bay and the county's cities and villages regulate amplified sound under their own codes.
Violations & Fines
A violation draws the standard Chapter 39 forfeiture, $100 to $500 for a first offense, $200 to $1,000 for each subsequent offense, under Brown County Code § 39.02.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this cover daytime amplified music?
What if the device is on residential property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brown County
Compare Brown County to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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