Upper Darby, PA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Upper Darby, PA, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Vehicle audibility limit
- Plainly audible at 50 feet
- Enforcement agencies
- Police, Health Officer, Licenses & Inspections
- Enforcement tool
- Summons, written notice, or injunction
Summary
Upper Darby bars operating a radio, TV, stereo or other sound-reproducing device loud enough to cross a property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or to be "plainly audible" 50 feet from a vehicle parked on a public street, under Section 373-6B of the Township's noise ordinance.
B. Radios, television sets, speakers, amplifiers and similar devices.
(1) Operating or permitting the use or operation of any radio receiving set, musical instrument, television, phonograph, drum or other device for the production or reproduction of sound in such manner as to cause a noise disturbance; or
(2) Operating any such device between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day in such a manner as to be plainly audible across real property boundaries or through partitions common to two parties within a building and plainly audible at 50 feet from such device when operated within a motor vehicle parked on a public right-of-way or on a public space.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 373's general rule in Section 373-5 makes it unlawful to create "any excessive or unusually loud noise which creates a noise disturbance" anywhere in the Township, and Section 373-6 lists specific acts presumed to violate that rule. the standard tightens further, banning use of those devices "in such a manner as to be plainly audible across real property boundaries or through partitions common to two parties within a building," or, for a device inside a parked vehicle on a public right-of-way or public space, audible at 50 feet.
The Police Department, the Township Health Officer, and the Department of Licenses and Inspections all share enforcement authority (Section 373-2). For a stationary noise source, like a speaker at a residence, enforcement personnel can skip straight to a summons or instead issue a written notice giving a "specific time period for the correction and abatement of the violation" before escalating (Section 373-3); ignoring that notice is itself a separate violation. Related provisions ban exterior loudspeakers at commercial and industrial sites outright (Section 373-6C) and set numeric decibel ceilings in the Section 373-7 sound-level table for sources not covered by the time-of-day rule.
Violations & Fines
A Section 373-6B violation is enforced by summons and complaint, or by a written correction notice for a stationary source like a home stereo, under Sections 373-2 and 373-3; failing to comply with that notice is itself a separate violation. Section 373-12 makes any Chapter 373 violation an offense punishable by citation, and Section 373-13 lets the Township seek an injunction against a source that keeps operating as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do I need to turn down music in Upper Darby?
Is loud music illegal at any hour, not just at night?
Who do I call to report a noisy neighbor in Upper Darby?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upper Darby
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