Johnson County, KS Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Johnson County, KS, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 50-92(4), amusement enterprise noise/lights
- Sound limit
- No louder than ordinary street noise at homes
- Permit required
- Sec. 50-89, amusement enterprises
- Siting
- 1,000 feet from nearest residence
- Run limit
- 7 consecutive days maximum
- Penalty
- $25-$100 fine per offense, Sec. 50-85
- Adopted
- Res. No. 66-88, amended Res. No. 012-12
Summary
Johnson County bans loudspeakers and amplification equipment at any permitted amusement enterprise or exhibition once the noise reaches nearby homes above ordinary street-noise levels. Sec. 50-92(4) of the county's amusement enterprise rules pairs that sound limit with a matching ban on stage lighting that spills onto neighboring dwellings, and both apply for the entire run of any circus, carnival, exhibition, or street fair permitted in unincorporated Johnson County.
Sec. 50-92. - Conduct of amusement enterprise. Any amusement enterprise or other exhibition conducted pursuant to a permit issued under this article shall be operated in accordance with the following conditions: (4)Lights and sound. No artificial lighting shall be used which causes illumination upon or into any nearby residences or dwelling units, and no public address systems or noise amplification equipment shall be used which generates noise that is perceptible in any nearby residences or dwelling units at sound levels exceeding comparable and ordinary street noise.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Resolutions: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " The same subsection separately bans artificial lighting that illuminates nearby residences. Sec. 50-84 defines the events this covers: a "circus" includes carnivals, sideshows, and mechanical or electrical rides; an "exhibition" is any public display of skill, art, or goods for amusement or promotion; and a "street fair or fair" covers booths selling crafts or goods. Before any sound equipment can run, Sec. 50-89 requires a permit, and Sec. 50-90 requires the event to sit on privately owned land zoned agricultural or commercial, at least 1,000 feet from the nearest residence other than the landowner's own home, on no more than one acre unless the county manager grants a written exemption.
Sec. and no more than seven consecutive days. Sec. 50-86 exempts county or state agencies and school events held on school property. Sec. A. 19-101d. The division was adopted by Res. No. 66-88 in 1988 and last amended by Res. No. 012-12 in March 2012, which rewrote the lights-and-sound standard.
Violations & Fines
Violating any Sec. 50-92 condition, including the sound-and-light limit, is a public offense under Sec. 50-85: a fine of $25.00 to $100.00 per offense, authorized by K.S.A. 19-101d. Running an event without the Sec. 50-89 permit, exceeding the seven-day limit, or amplifying noise into nearby homes each count as separate violations, and a pattern of violations can support denial of the operator's next permit under the Sec. 50-90 issuance standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Johnson County limit how loud outdoor event speakers can be?
What events does this noise rule cover?
How far must a permitted event be from homes?
What happens if an event runs its speakers too loud or too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johnson County
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