Collierville, TN Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Vehicles under 10,000 pounds
- 80 db(A) at 50 feet; 86 db(A) at 25 feet
- Trucks and buses over 10,000 pounds
- 87 db(A) at 50 feet; 93 db(A) at 25 feet
- Limit basis
- Vehicle class, not zone or hour
- Meter
- ANSI standard sound level meter kept in calibration
- Construction hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays
- Penalty
- Fine not to exceed $50, up to 30 days in jail, or both
Summary
The Town of Collierville sets numeric noise caps in § 130.022(D) by vehicle weight class, not by zone or hour: vehicles under 10,000 pounds are limited to 80 db(A) at 50 feet and 86 db(A) at 25 feet. Readings must come from a calibrated ANSI sound level meter.
(A) Subject to the provisions of this section, the creating of any unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise is prohibited. ... (D) It shall be unlawful to operate a motorized vehicle, including, but not limited to, cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motorbikes, minibikes and go carts within the corporate limits on private or public property which creates a noise or sound which exceeds the noise level limits set out below: ... (2) Under 10,000 pounds. (a) 80 db (A) measured at 50 feet maximum allowable limit. (b) 86 db (A) measured at 25 feet maximum allowable limit. ... (E) Measurement of noise: (1) The measurement of sound or noise shall be made with a sound level meter meeting those standards prescribed by the American National Standards Institute. The instrument shall be maintained in calibration.
Full Breakdown
The only numeric decibel limits in the Collierville anti-noise chapter, § 130.022 of the Collierville Code of Ordinances, are tied to motorized vehicles. Division (A) states the general standard: the creating of any unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise is prohibited, as is noise of such character, intensity or duration as to be detrimental to the life and health of any individual or in disturbance of the public peace and welfare. Division (D) then converts that standard to numbers for any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motorbikes, minibikes and go carts, operated within the corporate limits on private or public property.
For vehicles under 10,000 pounds, the limit is 80 db(A) measured at 50 feet and 86 db(A) measured at 25 feet. For trucks and buses over 10,000 pounds the limits are higher: 87 db(A) at 50 feet and 93 db(A) at 25 feet. The section defines the weighted level as the total sound pressure level measured with a sound level meter using the A weighting network, with the unit of measurement the db(A), and it adopts American National Standards Institute S1-1960 Acoustical Terminology for technical definitions.
This section sets limits by vehicle class rather than by zoning district or time of day. The one time-of-day numeric rule in the section concerns construction: noise-producing building activities in a residential area are unlawful other than between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekdays or between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays, with exceptions only for urgent necessity in the interest of public health and safety on written approval from the Town's Building Official.
Division (E)(1) controls measurement. The meter must meet ANSI standards and be maintained in calibration, with a check of the system at the time of any measurement. Readings must not exceed the limits in any direction, and the microphone must be positioned so as not to create any unnatural enhancement or diminution of the measured noise.
Violations & Fines
Violations of § 130.022 are prosecuted as misdemeanors, started by a traffic citation or, on a private citizen's complaint, by a summons after verification by a police officer using a sound meter. The punishment is a fine not to exceed $50, or confinement in jail not to exceed 30 days, or both, in the discretion of the court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the decibel limit for a car in Collierville?
Does Collierville have different decibel limits for day and night?
How do officers measure noise in the Town of Collierville?
What is the penalty for exceeding the limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Collierville
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