Bernalillo County, NM Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Bernalillo County, NM, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Noise limit
- 15 dB(A) above ambient at property line
- Allowed hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Registration
- File 1 working day ahead
- Commercial buffer
- 200 ft from churches, schools, hospitals
- Commercial Sundays/holidays
- Prohibited
Summary
Amplified outdoor music and loudspeaker use in unincorporated Bernalillo County must register with the county's permits and licenses division, run only between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and stay within 15 dB(A) above ambient noise at the property line.
The operation of sound amplifying equipment shall only occur between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. each day. No operation of sound amplifying equipment for commercial purposes shall be permitted on Sundays or legal holidays...No sound emanating from sound amplifying equipment shall exceed 15 dB(A) above the ambient as measured at any property line...sound amplifying equipment for commercial purposes shall not be operated within 200 feet of churches, schools and hospitals.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
Bernalillo County Code § 30-124 requires anyone using a loudspeaker or sound-amplifying equipment on public property in unincorporated Bernalillo County -- including outdoor music and PA systems -- to file a registration statement with the county's permits and licenses division at least one working day beforehand. Section 30-125 then caps amplified sound at 15 dB(A) above ambient measured at the property line, restricts amplified music or speech to 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., bars commercial use on Sundays and legal holidays, and keeps commercial equipment 200 feet from churches, schools and hospitals. Albuquerque, which has its own noise code, is not covered.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a registration statement, exceeding 15 dB(A) above ambient at the property line, or running amplified sound outside 8 a.m.-10 p.m. is a misdemeanor citable by county code enforcement, punishable per Sec. 1-6 general penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard party band in unincorporated Bernalillo County?
Does this apply if I live in Albuquerque?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico noise ordinances overview
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