Melbourne, FL Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

The city's noise ordinance names dog barking directly in its definitions: Sec. 26-23 defines "impulsive sound" to include "the barking of dogs" alongside explosions and drum beats, and Sec. 26-25(e) then bars impulsive sound from exceeding the levels set in Table 5. Table 5 sets the ceiling at 60 dB(A) for land use category A (noise-sensitive zones such as schools, libraries, churches, hospitals and nursing homes marked by conspicuous signage) and 65 dB(A) for category B (residential areas, hotels, motels, playgrounds and parks), with no time-of-day exception, meaning a persistently barking dog is regulated around the clock, not just at night.

Measurement follows Sec. 26-26: a sound level meter is used at the property line of the parcel where the noise originates, over a minimum five-minute period, by someone trained in a city-approved noise measurement program. A resident who cannot bring a barking dog into compliance can apply to the city's board of adjustment for a variance under Sec. 26-29, which requires showing practical difficulty, runs no longer than 365 days, and must state the terms, hours and sound-level limits the board sets. Because the ordinance folds barking into the general impulsive-sound category rather than a standalone animal-noise section, the same 60/65 dB(A) ceiling that governs fireworks or hammer strikes governs a dog.