Kenosha, WI Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Kenosha, 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
- Governing sections
- Code of Gen. Ordinances §§ 23.05, 23.06
- Overnight radio/stereo curfew
- 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.
- Residential decibel cap
- 60 dBA day / 50 dBA night
- Manufacturing zone cap
- 75 dBA at all times
- Penalty
- $25-$500 forfeiture, § 23.19
Summary
Kenosha bans radios, stereos and sound amplifiers from creating a "noise disturbance" across a property line between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., caps noncommercial loudspeaker use overnight, and sets zone-based decibel ceilings up to 75 dBA in manufacturing districts.
Radio, Television Sets, Musical Instruments and Similar Devices. Operating, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph, drum, musical instruments, sound amplifier, or similar device which produces, reproduces or amplifies sound:a.Between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. the following day in such a manner as to create a noise disturbance across a real property boundary; except for activities open to the public and for which a permit has been issued by the Department of Public Works... TABLE 1. SOUND LEVELS ... A-1, A-2, C-1, IP, FW, RR-1, RR-2, RS-4, RS-2, RS-3, RD,RG-1, RG-2, RM-1, RM-2, and All Other Zoning Not Specifically Listed In This Table.(Residential, Public Space, Open Space, Agricultural or Institutional) 7:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M. / 10:00 P.M.-7:00 A.M. 60 / 50 ... B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4 At All Times 70 ... M-1, M-2 At All Times 75
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 11 Update 1 | Zoning Ordinance: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
06. The same provision separately bars amplified sound that disturbs an adjacent dwelling unit at any hour, that creates a disturbance fifty feet from a device in a vehicle or boat, or that disturbs a passenger on a common carrier. on a public right-of-way or space. and 50 dBA overnight; B-1 through B-4 business districts are capped at 70 dBA at all times; and M-1/M-2 manufacturing districts are capped at 75 dBA at all times, each measured at the property boundary of the receiving land use.
B. , and barring use within 300 feet of churches, schools and hospitals. 08. 19: a forfeiture of $25 to $500 plus costs, with County Jail commitment of up to 60 days on default.
Violations & Fines
Operating amplified sound that creates a "noise disturbance" across a property line during restricted hours, or exceeding the Table 1 decibel limits for the receiving zoning district, violates Section 23.05/23.06. Penalties run under Section 23.19's incorporated Chapter IV penalty: $25-$500 forfeiture plus prosecution costs, up to 60 days jail on default.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel limit applies to a residential neighborhood in Kenosha?
Can I play amplified music outdoors after 10 p.m. in Kenosha?
Do sound trucks need a permit in Kenosha?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kenosha
Compare Kenosha to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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