Roanoke County, VA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Roanoke County, VA, 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
- 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.
- Covers
- Fixed, vehicle-mounted, indoor-to-outdoor
- First offense
- Class 3 misdemeanor
- Waiver
- Board of supervisors, § 13-23
- Related clause
- § 13-21(5) general instrument rule
Summary
Exterior loudspeakers and other sound-amplification equipment, whether mounted on a building, a vehicle, or used indoors to broadcast outside, cannot run between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in Roanoke County. Section 13-21(6) makes that a noise disturbance whenever the amplified sound serves an outdoor area for advertising, announcements, entertainment or similar purposes.
(6)Using or operating a loudspeaker or other sound amplification devices in a fixed or movable position exterior to any building, or mounted upon any motor vehicle or mounted in the interior of a building with the intent of providing service to an exterior area for the purpose of commercial advertising, giving instruction, information, directions, talks, addresses, lectures, or providing entertainment to any persons or assemblage of persons on any private or public property, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day.
Full Breakdown
Roanoke County's amplified-sound rule is narrower than a blanket ban: § 13-21(6) reaches loudspeakers or sound-amplification devices in a fixed or movable position exterior to a building, mounted on a motor vehicle, or mounted inside a building but aimed at serving an exterior area, when used for commercial advertising, giving instructions, information, directions, talks, addresses, lectures, or entertainment to people gathered on private or public property. the following day; the same equipment used earlier in the day is not covered by this clause, though it could still create a violation under the general instrument-or-device clause at § 13-21(5) if plainly audible through a shared wall or fifty feet away.
, religious and political gatherings protected by the First Amendment are exempt outright, and commercial or industrial sound normal to a permitted zoning use is exempt as well. , for a festival or a commercial event, can ask the board of supervisors for a waiver or partial waiver under § 13-23, which the board grants only after weighing the noise's timing, duration and economic hardship against the public benefit.
Violations & Fines
Running exterior amplified sound during the curfew is a Class 3 misdemeanor on a first offense under § 13-22(a), and a Class 2 misdemeanor if it happens again within a year of a prior conviction. Each separate use, and each day it continues, is charged as its own offense, and the county can seek a circuit court injunction on top of any criminal penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business use an outdoor PA system for a late-night sale in Roanoke County?
Does the rule cover speakers mounted on a truck or trailer?
Can an event get permission to run speakers past 10 p.m.?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roanoke County
Compare Roanoke County to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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