Yonkers, NY Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Yonkers, 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
- Loudspeaker/PA curfew
- 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Public transit devices
- no audible-to-others tolerance
- Public right-of-way use
- police permit required
- Boom box
- defined as portable amplification device
- Penalty
- Class II offense, up to $5,000
Summary
Playing a radio, boom box, stereo or any amplified sound-reproduction device loud enough to disturb someone else violates Yonkers's noise code, and loudspeakers or PA systems can't run between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. if the sound crosses onto a residential property line. A police permit is required to run sound equipment on a public right-of-way.
A. Sound-reproduction systems, in violation of the dBA's outlined in § 66-5: operating, playing, or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, phonograph, tape player, compact disc player, television, receiver, or similar device that reproduces or amplifies sound in such a manner as to create a noise disturbance for any person other than the operator of the device. B. Loudspeakers and public-address systems: using or operating any loudspeaker, public-address system or similar device between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. of the following day such that the sound therefrom creates a noise disturbance across a residential real property line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745274; v31 updated 2025-10-28; through 10-28-2025).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 66-2 defines a BOOM BOX as 'self-contained, portable, hand-held music or sound amplification or reproduction equipment capable of emitting sound that is audible at distances exceeding the permissible limits established within this chapter,' and § 66-4A folds that device, along with radios, phonographs, tape players, CD players and televisions, into the chapter's enumerated prohibited noises whenever the sound creates a disturbance for someone other than the operator, measured against the decibel schedule in § 66-5. if the sound creates a disturbance across a residential property line, regardless of decibel level.
A stricter, zero-tolerance rule applies on public transit: § 66-4I bars playing a radio, tape player, CD player or similar device on a bus, train or other public conveyance 'in such a manner that the sound from such device is audible to any other person,' with no decibel threshold at all. Separately, § 66-17 requires a permit from the Police Commissioner for any sound-producing device operated on or in front of a public right-of-way or public space, issued at the Commissioner's discretion, and § 66-18 lets the Commissioner revoke that permit at any time.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Chapter 66, including an unlawfully amplified sound-reproduction system or an unpermitted loudspeaker on the street, is a Class II offense under § 66-24, punishable citywide under § 1-21 by a fine of $100 to $5,000, up to 15 days in jail, or a civil penalty of $250 to $5,000. A noise control officer or police officer can also issue an abatement order under § 66-22, backed by an appearance ticket under § 66-23.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play music loud enough for neighbors to hear in Yonkers?
Do I need a permit to use a loudspeaker on a Yonkers street?
Are there separate rules for playing music on a bus or train in Yonkers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yonkers
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.