Cape Coral, FL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime limit (general areas)
- 73 dBA / 75 dBC
- Nighttime limit (general areas)
- 65 dBA / 67 dBC
- Entertainment Area daytime limit
- 75 dBA / 77 dBC
- First violation fine
- $150
- Repeat violation fine
- $500 within one year
- Enforcing agencies
- Police Dept., Community Development
Summary
Outside Cape Coral's designated entertainment area, city code sets numeric decibel ceilings that presumptively prove a noise violation: 73 dBA or 75 dBC during the day and 65 dBA or 67 dBC at night. Officers measure from the property line generating the sound, and exceeding these thresholds is prima facie evidence the noise is unreasonably loud and raucous under the Noise Control Ordinance.
(4)Prima facie evidence. For the purposes of this Subsection (e), the following shall constitute prima facie evidence that a sound (whether recurrent, intermittent, or continuous) is unreasonably loud and raucous if: ... b.The sound meets or exceeds seventy-three (73) dBA or seventy-five (75) dBC between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., or sixty-five (65) dBA or sixty-seven (67) dBC between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sound level measurements shall be obtained in accordance with the provisions of Subsections (d)(2) and (d)(3).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Cape Coral Code of Ordinances § 12-22, the "Cape Coral Noise Control Ordinance" adopted by Ord. 29-19 in 2019 and amended by Ord. 26-24 in 2024, splits the city into two decibel regimes. m. Sunday through Thursday (to midnight Friday/Saturday), dropping to 65 dBA or 67 dBC overnight. m. Measurements are taken from the property line of the source (or the individual lease boundary on subdivided property) using a calibrated sound level meter, with the equivalent (Leq) reading averaged over a 30-second window under § 12-22(d)(2)-(3).
Meeting or exceeding the listed decibel level is not the only way to violate the ordinance: officers can also cite based on plain audibility or a sworn complaint under § 12-22(e)(2)-(3), but crossing the numeric threshold hands the Cape Coral Police Department and Department of Community Development prima facie proof without needing those additional factors.
Violations & Fines
First-time violators get a five-minute verbal or written warning to bring the sound into compliance and must stay compliant for 48 hours; failing that draws a civil citation. Civil penalties run $150 for a first violation and $500 for each repeat violation within one year. Unreasonably excessive noise is also declared a public nuisance, letting the City Attorney seek injunctive relief under Fla. Stat. § 60.05.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel level counts as a noise violation in Cape Coral?
How is the sound level measured?
What happens if I exceed the decibel limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cape Coral
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Cape Coral to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle decibel limits.