Multnomah County, OR Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Multnomah County, OR, 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 limit
- 60 dBA, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Nighttime limit
- 50 dBA, 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only, not Portland
- Enforcement
- Multnomah County Sheriff's Office
- Event exemption
- Parks, stadiums, organized athletic events
Summary
Unincorporated Multnomah County caps sound from musical instruments and other devices at 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA overnight at a neighboring noise-sensitive property, or bars plainly audible sound after 10 p.m.; Portland sets its own noise rules.
It shall be unlawful for any person to produce or permit to be produced, with a sound producing device, sound which: (A) When measured at or within the boundary of the property on which a noise sensitive unit which is not the source of the sound is located...exceeds: (1) Fifty dBA at any time between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day; or (2) Sixty dBA at any time between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. the same day...
Full Breakdown
The county's Sound Control Law (§ 15.265 et seq.) applies only in unincorporated Multnomah County, not Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview or Wood Village. It treats musical instruments, amplified or unamplified, loudspeakers and PA systems as regulated 'sound producing devices.' Under § 15.269, sound measured at a noise-sensitive property (homes, hospitals, nursing homes) can't exceed 60 dBA between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. or 50 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.; without a meter, plainly audible sound reaching a neighboring unit or 50 feet into the right-of-way after 10 p.m. is itself a violation. Organized events at parks, stadiums and similar venues are exempted under § 15.270(A).
Violations & Fines
Sheriff's deputies enforce; violating the dBA or plainly-audible limits is a Class A violation, each day a separate offense, and the sound producing device itself can be seized and, after repeat citations, destroyed as contraband.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this noise law cover Portland concerts and outdoor bars?
Can I get a variance for a loud outdoor event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
Compare Multnomah County to another location·View the Oregon noise ordinances overview
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