Williamson County, TN Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Williamson County, TN, 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
- Zoning Ordinance § 16.02(A)-(B)(2)
- Residential daytime limit
- 70 dBC (7 a.m.-10 p.m.)
- Residential nighttime limit
- 65 dBC non-rural / 60 dBC rural
- Commercial/public limit
- 75 dBC day and night
- Measured at
- Receiving property boundary, C-weighted 10-min Leq
- Applies to
- Bars, entertainment venues, special events
Summary
Williamson County caps amplified sound from PA systems, speakers, and other sound production devices tied to bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, and special events. Section 16.02(B)(2) sets C-weighted decibel ceilings by receiving property type that run higher at night for rural residential parcels than for parcels under five acres.
(2) Sounds produced by Sound Production Devices generated on or associated with the uses outlined in Section 16.02(A) above, shall not exceed the C-weighted 10-minute Leq (fast response) limits listed in Table 16.02-2: Maximum Noise Standards-Sound Production, when measured outdoors anywhere within the Receiving Property boundaries. Table 16.02-2: Maximum Noise Standards - Sound Production Devices. Receiving Use Type: C-weighted 10-minute Leq (dBC), fast meter response. Day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) Night (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.). Residential 70 65 non-rural [1] 60 rural [2]. Agricultural [3] 70 60. Public and Institutional 75 75. Commercial 75 75. [1] Non-rural includes any residential parcel less than 5 acres. [2] Rural includes any residential parcel 5 acres or greater, this limit applies only at the house or other buildings used for living quarters, and any accessory structures. [3] For Agricultural land, this limit applies only at the house or other buildings used for living quarters, and any accessory structures.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
02(A). 02-2. ) it drops to 65 dBC for non-rural residential parcels under five acres and 60 dBC for rural residential parcels of five acres or more, where the limit applies only at the dwelling, other living-quarters buildings, and accessory structures. Agricultural land faces a 70 dBC daytime and 60 dBC nighttime ceiling on the same basis. Public, institutional, and commercial receiving property both get a flat 75 dBC limit day and night. 02(A)(13). 02(D) includes earthen berms or noise barriers, using the site's natural topography as a shield, directing directional noise sources like speakers away from receiving properties, and avoiding propagation of sound over hard, reflective surfaces.
Violations & Fines
Sound production devices measured above the Table 16.02-2 limit at the receiving property line violate Section 16.02 and the Zoning Ordinance under Section 22.03. Section 22.07 makes any such violation a misdemeanor carrying a $10 to $50 fine per offense, with each day of continued exceedance a separate offense, and the Codes Compliance Director may pursue civil enforcement or revoke the associated permit under Section 22.06.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel limit applies to a bar's speakers or DJ in Williamson County?
Do event organizers need to plan for noise before getting a permit?
What noise mitigation measures satisfy the county's amplified-sound rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Williamson County
Compare Williamson County to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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