Hendersonville, TN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Hendersonville, 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
- Outdoor amplified hours
- 7:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
- Business noise limit
- 65 dB(A) at night
- Off-peak nights
- 75 dB(A) ceiling
- Measured at
- Residential structure's outside wall
Summary
Hendersonville bars outdoor amplified music within 50 feet of a residence outside 7 a.m.–11 p.m., and caps commercial noise at 65–75 dB(A) measured at nearby home walls.
No person or persons owning, operating, or having the care, custody, or control of any facility located within fifty (50') feet or a residence or of a natural conservation area shall permit to be operated any musical instrument or other entertainment device using amplification unless such music or other entertainment is provided within a totally enclosed structure. Such music or other entertainment may be provided outside of a structure only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., except when exempted under provisions of the code as a special event, mass gathering or other permitted activity by the City of its boards or commissions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to entertainment facilities constructed to provide outdoor entertainment owned by the City or its agencies and parks under the control of the Board of Parks And Recreation.
(3) No person or persons owning, operating, or having the care, custody, or control of any business or commercial facility shall be permitted to operate any equipment (musical or otherwise), vehicles, or heavy machinery incident to performing business or commercial functions, or engage in any other business or commercial activity which would emit, cause to be emitted, or permit the emission of any noise in excess of sixty-five (65) Db(A) as measured from a point as close as possible to the outside walls of any residential structure located within a residential zoning district affected by the noise at a
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 11-403(2) bars anyone controlling a facility within 50 feet of a residence or natural conservation area from operating amplified musical instruments or entertainment devices outdoors except between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., unless the sound stays inside a totally enclosed structure. Section 11-403(3) separately caps commercial and business noise, measured at a residential structure's outside wall, at 65 dB(A) between 9:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m. Sunday–Thursday and 11:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m. Friday–Saturday, rising to a 75 dB(A) ceiling at all other times. Hendersonville Police and the Codes Department enforce both provisions.
Violations & Fines
Amplified sound outside the permitted hours or over the dB(A) ceiling near a residence is a municipal-code violation, cited by Hendersonville Police under § 11-403.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play amplified music outdoors at night in Hendersonville?
What decibel limit applies to businesses at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hendersonville
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