Sumner County, TN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Sumner County, 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
- Amplified event curfew
- 10:00 PM, all districts
- Residential-district event permit limit
- 2 days
- Residential decibel cap
- 60 dBA day, 55 dBA night
- Industrial decibel cap
- 75 dBA day and night
- Governing sections
- §1101(O)(3) and §1107(B)(2)(c)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Sumner County only
Summary
Outdoor concerts, plays, and other events using amplified sound systems in Sumner County must shut down by 10:00 PM under the temporary use permit rules, and the music can't rise to the level of a public nuisance before then either. Even with a permit, day-to-day noise crossing a property line is capped by a separate decibel table topping out at 60 dBA for residential areas.
3. Outdoor Performances
a. A temporary use permit may be issued for outdoor plays or musical performances in any commercial or industrial district as a part of an existing business or as a free-standing use provided that adequate parking and traffic circulation is available and any existing business operations will not be disrupted, and provided further, that in the event amplified sound systems are used, such sound shall not be a public nuisance nor be conducted later than 10:00 PM.
b. A temporary use permit may be issued for outdoor plays or musical performances in any residential or institutional district provided that any traffic generated by the temporary use shall not use minor residential or neighborhood streets and can be accommodated on arterial or collector streets, and provided further, that in the event amplified sound systems are used, such sound shall not be a public nuisance nor be conducted later than 10:00 PM. Such permits shall be limited to two (2) days.
Full Breakdown
Section 1101, Subsection O(3) of the Zoning Resolution governs temporary use permits for outdoor plays and musical performances. In commercial or industrial districts, subsection (a) allows amplified sound at such events, but requires that the sound not become a public nuisance and that it stop no later than 10:00 PM. In residential or institutional districts, subsection (b) applies the same nuisance standard and 10:00 PM cutoff, and additionally limits the permit to two days, though the Board of Zoning Appeals can consider an extension request.
Traffic from a residential-district event is also barred from minor residential or neighborhood streets and must instead route to arterial or collector streets. Beyond the event-specific curfew, Section 1107, Subsection B(2)(c) sets a countywide baseline: the Table of Maximum Permitted Sound Levels caps A-weighted sound at a property line at 60 dBA for adjacent residential uses between 7 AM and 7 PM, dropping to 55 dBA overnight from 7 PM to 7 AM; industrial-adjacent uses get a flat 75 dBA both periods, and all other uses are capped at 65 dBA daytime and 60 dBA nighttime.
That performance standard, measured with an ANSI-compliant sound level meter using the A-weighted scale, exempts emergency warning devices and daytime lawn care and construction equipment. An amplified outdoor event near a residence must therefore satisfy both the 10:00 PM curfew in Subsection O(3) and the decibel ceiling in Subsection B(2)(c), whichever binds first.
Violations & Fines
Running amplified sound past 10:00 PM under a temporary use permit, or exceeding the Table of Maximum Permitted Sound Levels at a property line, violates Chapter 11 of the Zoning Resolution. Section 1413, Subsection D makes the violation a misdemeanor carrying a fine plus costs, with each day, or in practice each night, of continued excess noise charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How late can outdoor amplified music run in Sumner County?
Is there a decibel limit even without a special event permit?
How many days can a residential neighborhood host an amplified outdoor event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sumner County
Compare Sumner County to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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