Tonawanda, NY Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Tonawanda, 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
- Governing section
- § 133-5G, Table I at § 133-6
- Residential daytime cap
- 55 dB(A), 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Residential nighttime cap
- 50 dB(A), 11 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Industrial exemption
- Manufacturing plants on own property
- Max penalty
- $250 fine or 15 days jail
- Table I amended
- August 25, 2025
Summary
Playing a radio, TV, phonograph or other amplified sound device so it crosses a property line, or through shared walls, above the decibel caps in the Noise Local Law's Table I is a violation in the Town of Tonawanda. Section 133-5G sets the rule; the same subsection exempts industrial manufacturing plants operating on their own property.
G. The operation, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph or similar device which reproduces or amplifies sound in such a manner as to create a sound level across a real property line, or through partitions common to two or more persons within a building, which exceeds the limits set forth in Table I. ( ... This subsection does not apply to industrial manufacturing plants in the regular conduct of their business on their own properties.)
Full Breakdown
Section 133-5G of Chapter 133, the Noise Local Law the Town Board adopted April 2, 1984, makes it a violation to operate, play or permit the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph or similar sound-reproducing or sound-amplifying device in a manner that creates a sound level, measured across a real property line or through partitions common to two or more persons within a building, that exceeds the limits set in Table I. Table I, printed at § 133-6 and last amended August 25, 2025, sets the maximum permissible sound level by receiving land-use category and time of day: for example, a residential receiving area may not receive more than 55 dB(A) from a residential source between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., dropping to 50 dB(A) overnight from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Subsection G's own text carves out an exception for industrial manufacturing plants in the regular conduct of business on their own properties, so a factory's amplified equipment is judged only against the industrial-to-industrial figures in Table I, not the tighter residential caps. Measurements are taken with an ANSI Type II sound-level meter operated by Building Department or Police Department personnel under § 133-8, calibrated at least annually.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 133-5G is punishable under § 133-9 by a fine of up to $250 or up to 15 days' imprisonment, or both, with each day of continuing violation charged as a separate offense; tickets are issued by Town of Tonawanda police officers or the Supervising Code Enforcement Officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my stereo be before it violates Tonawanda's noise code?
Are factories exempt from the amplified-sound rule?
How does the town measure whether amplified sound is too loud?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tonawanda
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Erie County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.