Sarasota, FL Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)

Section 20-5, the maximum-sound-levels section of the City of Sarasota's Sound Control Ordinance (Chapter 20), sets a hard decibel ceiling for amplified sound operating outside a completely enclosed building. Under Sec. the following morning if it measures more than 65 dBA or 70 dBC, or if the gap between the dBA and dBC readings is 5 dB or greater, when measured at or beyond the real property line where the sound originates. Sec. m. Thursday through Sunday nights and to midnight on Friday, Saturday, and nights before federal holidays, but only for amplified sound coming from the city-owned Lemon Avenue Mall leasehold.

Measurements are governed by Sec. 20-5(a): a calibrated ANSI-standard sound level meter on the slow-response setting, positioned to avoid artificially enhancing or reducing the reading, taken roughly five feet above ground at or beyond the property line, with traffic and other background sound excluded unless it interferes with the primary source being tested. A business or resident who needs to exceed these limits for an event can apply under Sec. 20-6 for a temporary special permit from the city manager, who must rule within 15 days or the application is deemed granted; the city manager weighs the event's community benefit, availability of alternate locations, and the applicant's proposed sound-attenuation measures.

A permit denial can be appealed to a special master for a hearing de novo within 7 days, with a final decision due within 13 days of that filing. A first violation of the decibel cap carries the same fine schedule as the rest of Chapter 20: $250 uncontested, rising to $1,000 for a second violation within 12 months and $2,000 for a third, or $750 to $5,000 (up to $15,000 for an irreparable violation) if contested before the special magistrate.