Southampton, NY Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Southampton, NY, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Daytime rule
- Exterior amplified sound allowed only 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Nighttime rule
- Prohibited at all times outside that window
- Governing section
- Southampton Town Code § 235-2 and § 235-4
- First-offense fine
- Up to $1,000 and/or 15 days jail
- Repeat offense fine
- $2,500 to $10,000 within 18 months
- Applies to
- Unincorporated hamlets outside Southampton's villages
Summary
In the Town of Southampton outside the villages, § 235-2 of the noise chapter bans amplified sound from speakers or amplifiers on the exterior of any premises at all times, treating it as prohibited noise pollution. The Town Board carves out one exception in § 235-4: amplified sound including small outdoor speakers is allowed only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. if it stays within the § 235-3 decibel standard.
Except as provided in § 235-4, the use of amplifiers, speakers or other machines or devices capable of reproducing amplified sound on the exterior of any premises, dwelling or building within the Town shall be considered noise pollution and shall be prohibited at all times. ... (17) Amplified sound that does not exceed the noise standard established in § 235-3 of this chapter, inclusive of small outdoor speakers, between 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m.
Full Breakdown
Outside the incorporated villages, the Town of Southampton treats exterior amplified sound as noise pollution around the clock. Section 235-2.A states that the use of amplifiers, speakers or other machines or devices capable of reproducing amplified sound on the exterior of any premises, dwelling or building within the Town shall be considered noise pollution and shall be prohibited at all times, unless the narrow § 235-4 exception applies. That exception, added by Local Law No. 9-2022 and amended again by Local Law No. 31-2025, permits amplified sound that does not exceed the noise standard established in § 235-3, inclusive of small outdoor speakers, between 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m.
In practice, a homeowner's outdoor speaker system, a party DJ setup or a business's exterior sound system must both stop by 7:00 p.m. and stay under the residential 65 dBA daytime ceiling, or the applicable commercial or industrial ceiling, set out in § 235-3. After 7:00 p.m., § 235-4's carve-out no longer applies and the § 235-2 blanket prohibition on exterior amplified sound controls, regardless of volume. The chapter's noise-pollution definition in § 235-1 separately flags amplified devices used in a manner that disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring inhabitants and is audible 50 feet away as an independent violation.
Anyone present among a group whose collective behavior creates noise pollution is rebuttably presumed under § 235-5 to have participated. Enforcement in the unincorporated hamlets, Hampton Bays, Water Mill, Bridgehampton, Flanders, Riverside and Noyack among them, falls to Southampton Town Police and the Public Safety Division's ordinance-enforcement officers, not the separately governed villages such as Southampton Village or Westhampton Beach.
Violations & Fines
Violating the amplified-sound rule is a violation under § 235-6.A, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or up to 15 days' imprisonment, or both, for a first offense in the unincorporated Town. A third or subsequent offense within 18 months raises the fine to between $2,500 and $10,000, still with up to 15 days possible jail time. The Town may also seek an injunction under § 235-6.C to stop a continuing amplified-sound nuisance outside the villages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play amplified music outdoors in Southampton after dark?
What happens if a neighbor complains about my speakers?
Does this apply in Southampton Village too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southampton
New York rules heatmap·Compare Southampton to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.