New Orleans, LA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in New Orleans, LA, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Curfew
- 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. in parks/playgrounds
- Exception
- Permitted activity under Sec. 66-176
- Permit fee
- $20.00
- Daytime volume cap (separate rule)
- 80 dBA at 50 ft, Sec. 66-203(3)a
- City-sponsored concerts
- Exempt under Sec. 66-139(1)
Summary
New Orleans bars playing radios, musical instruments or loudspeakers plainly audible to others in parks, playgrounds or recreation areas between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. unless a permit has been issued. The same public-space devices also can't exceed 80 dBA at 50 feet at any hour.
It shall be unlawful to operate or play any radio, television, phonograph, musical instrument, loudspeaker or similar device that is plainly audible to any person other than the operator between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. in parks, playgrounds, or recreation areas unless a permit has been issued.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 116 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Code of Ordinances Sec. " This is a separate, time-based restriction from the round-the-clock 80 dBA/50-foot volume cap on outdoor sound devices in Sec. 66-203(3)a, and it applies specifically to city green space rather than residential lots. must obtain a temporary permit under Sec. 66-176, a $20 application reviewed by the Health Department director, who weighs the activity's distance from residential zones, the number and direction of amplification devices, sound level, anticipated duration, and whether it is held indoors or outdoors before issuing a permit that fixes the place, duration and any site-specific restrictions.
Sec. 66-139(1) separately exempts noise from a city-sponsored or permitted parade or concert from the article's limits entirely. Violating the park curfew without a permit is a misdemeanor under Sec. 66-140, fine up to the state-law maximum, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, each day a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Playing music in a park, playground or recreation area between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. without a permit violates Sec. 66-203(3)b and is a misdemeanor under Sec. 66-140: fine up to the state-law maximum, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play live music in a New Orleans park at night?
How do I get a permit for outdoor music after 8 p.m.?
Are city-sponsored concerts exempt from the curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Orleans
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