Albemarle County, VA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

04 makes it unlawful for any source to cause a sound level in a receiving zone that exceeds the table set out in the ordinance. Rural Areas and Residential zones, along with Public Space or Institutional zones, are capped at 60 dBA during the day and 55 dBA at night. Commercial zones are capped at 65 dBA both day and night, and Industrial zones at 70 dBA both day and night. The limits apply regardless of whether the receiving property sits inside or outside Albemarle County, and cover sound from any use authorized under the Zoning Ordinance, including uses tied to a proffer, special use permit condition, or code of development standard.

03 sets the measurement procedure that determines whether a source has crossed the line: a calibrated sound level meter with a windscreen, an A-weighted fast-response scale, and a five-minute measurement period taken at the receiving zone's property line, with an ambient sound correction subtracted out using the correction-factor table in Sec. 03(I). 05 exempts a long list of everyday sound sources from the decibel table entirely, including agricultural activities, barking dogs (which fall instead under the animal noise rules in Chapter 4), religious bells and chimes, home appliances in good repair, lawful firearm discharge away from a range, yard maintenance equipment, and sound from parades and permitted fireworks.

Existing sound sources that already exceed the table are grandfathered under Sec. 06 but cannot increase their sound level and must come into compliance when the source is expanded, enlarged or replaced.