Amplified music rules in Reading, PA — also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances — set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Amplified music, loudspeakers, radios, drums, and similar sound devices are governed by § 387-104(A) of Reading's noise code. They may not create a 'noise disturbance' across a property line at any time, and they may not be 'plainly audible' across a property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The 50-foot public-street audibility rule also applies. Permitted parades and events are exempt.
Section 387-104(A) prohibits operating any radio, television, phonograph, drum, musical equipment, disc or tape player, loudspeaker, or similar amplifying device 'at any time in such a manner as to cause a noise disturbance across a property line,' or 'between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. so as to be plainly audible across a property line,' or 'audible on a public street for a distance of 50 feet from the place or origin of such sound or noise.' Sub-paragraphs cover three contexts: stationary residential use, devices operated in or on a motor vehicle or hand-carried on a public right-of-way, and use by passengers on common carriers. Exemptions in § 387-107 cover stationary electronically amplified announcements at athletic, political, and civic events; band concerts, block parties, and church carnivals (provided they end by 10 p.m. and required permits are obtained); school programs and non-amplified public activities; and special permits granted by the Chief of Police under § 387-107(H). Bars and restaurants with amplified music must additionally meet conditional-use or special-exception requirements under the Reading zoning code (Chapter 600). Because amplified speech can carry First Amendment weight, Reading's content-neutral time-and-manner approach mirrors what survives review under Ward v. Rock Against Racism (1989) and Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015).
Summary citation under § 387-109: $25-$1,000 plus costs per offense, each day a separate violation. Police may also seize equipment as evidence and require the operator to cease the activity immediately.
Reading, PA
Every swimming pool in Reading must be enclosed by a permanent barrier or fence at least four feet in height with no opening larger than four inches, and the...
Reading, PA
Reading Zoning Code § 600-1304 bans barbed-wire fences in residential settings, electrically-charged fences (except invisible pet fences), broken glass affix...
Reading, PA
Reading's zoning code does not require neighbor consent for a boundary fence under § 600-1301, but Pennsylvania's partition-fence statute (53 P.S. § 46202) a...
Reading, PA
Reading Zoning Code § 600-1301 requires a permit from the Zoning Administrator for any fence, wall, or similar structure greater than three feet in height. F...
Reading, PA
Reading Code Section 141-220 effectively caps a household at six dogs and/or cats combined. Owning more than six requires a permit from the Reading Animal Co...
Reading, PA
Propane (LP-gas) storage in Reading is regulated through the 2018 International Fire Code Chapter 61 (Liquefied Petroleum Gases), adopted by Reading Chapter ...
See how Reading's amplified music & events rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.