Salt Lake City, UT Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Salt Lake City, UT, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Governs
- Outdoor loudspeakers & amplified music
- Permit issuer
- Salt Lake Valley Health Department
- Curfew
- 9 PM-7 AM weekdays/Saturdays
- Residential limit
- 50 dBA night, 55 dBA day
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor, per-day
Summary
Salt Lake City requires a permit before running loudspeakers or amplified music outdoors on streets, sidewalks, parks or public property once the sound violates zone noise limits or disturbs others.
Using or operating a loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment in a fixed or movable position or mounted upon any sound vehicle in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, park, place, or public property for the purpose of ... transmitting music to any persons or assemblages of persons in such a manner as to violate section 9.28.060 ... or cause a noise disturbance unless a permit ... is first obtained
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City code bans using a loudspeaker or sound-amplifying equipment, fixed or on a vehicle, in any street, alley, sidewalk, park or public property to transmit music or talks in a way that exceeds the zone's decibel limits or causes a noise disturbance, unless a hardship relief permit is obtained first from the Salt Lake Valley Health Department. Ordinary devices like radios or musical instruments face the same evening cutoff: unlawful between 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM (9:00 AM on Sundays/holidays) if plainly audible at the property line or 50 feet from a parked vehicle.
Violations & Fines
Class B misdemeanor; each day of continued violation is a separate offense, and the noise may also be abated as a nuisance by court injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play amplified outdoor music without a permit?
What's the residential noise limit at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.