Muncie, IN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Muncie, IN, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Distance test
- 40-foot audibility triggers a violation
- Decibel test
- 90 decibels at six feet also triggers it
- Scope
- Applies equally to public and private property
- First offense
- Fine up to $250.00
- Repeat offense
- Fourth offense in two years up to $2,500.00
- Jurisdiction
- Muncie City Court
- Exemption
- Parades and city-authorized events are exempt
Summary
City Code Section 100.100 bars playing any sound-producing device on public or private property in Muncie if it is audible 40 feet or more from its source or measures 90 decibels or louder at six feet away. A first offense is an infraction of up to $250.00, rising to $2,500.00 for a fourth violation within two years.
No person shall play, use or operate any machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound ... if such machine, device or vehicle is located in or on any of the following:(1)Any public property, including any public right-of-way, highway, building, sidewalk, public space, park or thoroughfare and the sound generated therefrom is (i) clearly audible 40 feet or more from its source, or (ii) is at a level of 90 decibels (90 dB) or more when measured from a distance of not less than six feet from it's source; or ... (C)Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than: First offense . . Up to $250.00 ... Fourth and subsequent offenses within two years . . Up to $2,500.00
Full Breakdown
Section 100.100(A) covers loudspeakers, radios, CD players, television sets, musical instruments, phonographs, cassette players, and any other sound-producing machine or device. It sets two independent tests: the sound is a violation if it is clearly audible 40 feet or more from its source, or if it measures 90 decibels or more at a distance of at least six feet, and the rule applies the same way whether the device sits on public property, such as a right-of-way, sidewalk, or park, or on private property measured from the property line.
Subsection (B) carves out exemptions: authorized emergency vehicles; lawn mowers, garden tractors, construction equipment, and power tools when properly muffled between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; burglar alarms investigated and shut off within a reasonable time; parades, festivals, fairs, celebrations, concerts, and performances authorized by the Board of Public Works and Safety or another governmental entity; athletic and sporting events; emergency alerts; and the ordinary, customary noise of legally established non-transient businesses. Subsection (C) makes a violation an infraction with an escalating fine schedule, and subsection (D) gives the Muncie City Court jurisdiction. Subsection (E) lets any sworn police officer, constable, or sheriff issue citations, including special officers appointed to serve Muncie Schools on school property.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Muncie's sound ordinance is an infraction of up to $250.00, but Section 100.100(C) raises the ceiling to $500.00 for a second offense within two years, $1,000.00 for a third, and $2,500.00 for a fourth or later offense in the same two-year window. The Muncie City Court has jurisdiction, and police, constables, or sheriffs can issue the citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my speakers or stereo legally be in Muncie?
What's the fine for a noise complaint in Muncie?
Are parades, festivals, and concerts exempt from Muncie's noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Muncie
Compare Muncie to another location·View the Indiana noise ordinances overview
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