Washington County, MN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Washington County, MN, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Base limit
- Audible from 25 feet, no permit
- Permit limit
- Up to 50 feet with use permit
- Governing law
- Ordinance No. 218, Ch. III § 3
- Discretion
- Parks Division weighs 8 disturbance factors
- Penalty
- Petty misdemeanor, Minn. Stat. § 609.02
Summary
Speakers, radios and musical instruments in Washington County parks may not be audible from 25 feet away without a permit. Parks Ordinance No. 218, Chapter III, Section 3(a) sets that distance limit, and groups can apply to raise it to 50 feet with a picnic-shelter use permit.
use any audio device such as speakers, radios, and musical instruments that may be heard from 25 feet or more away. Groups or picnic shelter users may apply for a use permit for amplified sound, and the amplified sound must be heard no more than 50 feet away
Full Breakdown
Chapter III, Section 3 of Ordinance No. " Subsection (b) separately bars any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise that disturbs the peace or causes discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable visitor, regardless of its source or a permit. The ordinance lists eight factors the Parks Division uses to judge a noise complaint under this second clause: the noise's level and intensity, background noise level, the type of area involved, how heavily the area is used at that time, the time of day or night, the noise's duration, and the volume of complaints from other users; the Parks Division has full authority to allow, deny or control sound levels based on that criteria.
Because the 25-foot and 50-foot thresholds sit in the same section as the discretionary disturbance clause, a permitted amplified-sound event can still be shut down if it crosses into subsection (b)'s "loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise" standard. Ordinance No. 218 took effect May 21, 2024 under Resolution No. 2024-057.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 25-foot (or permitted 50-foot) audibility limit, or otherwise disturbing the peace under Chapter III, Section 3(b), is a petty misdemeanor under Minnesota Statutes Section 609.02, subdivision 4a, fined up to the statutory maximum under Chapter VIII, Section 2. Parks Division staff and Sheriff's Office deputies enforce the limit and can revoke an amplified-sound use permit for a violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can music be in a Washington County park?
Can I get a permit for louder amplified sound in a county park?
Can a permitted event still be cited for noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota noise ordinances overview
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