Dade City, FL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Outdoor nighttime limit
- 65 dBA / 70 dBC
- Outdoor daytime limit
- 75 dBA / 80 dBC
- Measurement window
- 10-20 seconds, ANSI meter
- Measured from
- Complaining property, ~5 feet up
- First violation
- Written warning with readings
- Repeat window
- 12 months from warning
Summary
Dade City, Pasco County, Florida, sets numeric sound limits for outdoor noise sources under Code § 42-33(b)(1)a: 65 dBA/70 dBC at night and 75 dBA/80 dBC during the day, measured at the complaining property. Exceeding either figure is unreasonably excessive noise regardless of the source.
(1)Decibel limitations. Unreasonably excessive noise is noise that exceeds the maximum dbA and dbC sound levels, when measured between ten and 20 seconds, as set forth below:a.Outside source. Sounds emanating from a source which is outside, or otherwise not in a completely enclosed structure.1.Nighttime limitation. Sixty-five dBA, 70 dBC or sound which has a five dB or greater difference between the dBA and dBC sound levels between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following morning on Sunday through Thursday nights and between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following morning on Friday and Saturday nights and on nights before federal holidays,2.Daytime limitation. Seventy-five dBA, 80 dBC or sound which has a ten dB or greater difference between the dBA and dBC sound levels between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and between 7:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and the days before federal holidays.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 18 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 42-33(b)(1) of the Dade City Code of Ordinances defines unreasonably excessive noise, in part, by maximum dBA and dBC sound levels measured over a ten-to-20-second interval. on Friday and Saturday nights and nights before federal holidays. m. on Friday, Saturday and days before federal holidays. Section 42-33(c)(1) sets the measurement method: readings are taken with an ANSI-compliant sound level meter roughly five feet above ground on the complaining property, ambient sound is excluded, and an officer may instead measure from the suspect property's line if ambient noise interferes.
For a first violation, § 42-35(a) requires a written warning stating the actual dBA/dBC reading obtained, followed by a reasonable time to comply; any measurement over the limit taken at that property within the following 12 months after a warning is a separate, citable violation.
Violations & Fines
A first decibel-limit violation draws a written warning, not a citation, stating the dBA and dBC readings the officer recorded, under § 42-35(a). The property owner then gets a reasonable time to fix the problem. Any later measurement at the same property within 12 months of the warning that again exceeds the § 42-33(b)(1) limits is a separate violation supporting a civil citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel level is illegal in Dade City at night?
Does the decibel limit change during the day?
How does the city measure sound for a noise complaint?
Do I get cited the first time my noise exceeds the limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dade City
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Dade City to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pasco County handle decibel limits.