Evansville, IN Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Source coverage
- Industrial districts named, EMC 9.30.020(A)(4)
- Receiving coverage
- Industrial land excluded from EMC 9.30.020(B)
- Standard basis
- District character, not parcel zoning
- Governing section
- EMC 9.30.050(A)
Summary
Evansville regulates industrial districts as a noise-source category under its citywide sound chapter, applying district-based limits rather than a parcel-by-parcel test, but industrial land is not itself a protected receiving district.
(A) Levels specified in this section shall be determined by the general nature of the affected district, and not the nature of the specific receiving property upon which the sound is measured. For example, if an affected district is primarily industrial in nature, the limits prescribed in this section for industrial properties are applicable, even if the particular parcel upon which the sound is measured is residential in nature.
(B) No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the operation of any source of sound on any source property listed in EMC 9.30.020(A) in such a manner as to create an unreasonable sound that persists continuously or intermittently for a period of at least 15 minutes, and continuing to do so after being asked to stop, when observed at or within the real property line of any of the receiving properties, except as specifically permitted in this chapter.
(C) Notwithstanding subsection (B) of this section, the following regulations shall apply to sound emitted from motor vehicles:
(1) No motorcycle shall be operated stationary or in motion unless it has a muffler that complies with and is labeled in accordance with the Federal Noise Regulations under 40 CFR Part 205.
(2) It shall constitute a violation of this chapter for any person to operate, cause to operate, or use a motor vehicle so as to cause noise levels above 80 dB as a result of a defective or modified exhaust system; acceleration, deceleration, revving, or tire squeal.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-2026-12, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
EMC 9.30.020(A)(4) lists industrial districts among the property types covered as sound sources under the noise chapter. Notably, industrial districts do not appear in the parallel list of protected receiving districts in EMC 9.30.020(B), so industrial-zoned land is regulated as an emitter but is not itself shielded by the ordinance. EMC 9.30.050(A) sets the underlying rule: sound limits are determined by the general character of the affected district, not the zoning of the specific parcel measured, so an industrial area's limits apply even where the parcel physically measured is residential in character.
Violations & Fines
First violation is a formal written warning; second $50; third $150; fourth $500; fifth and subsequent violations $500 to $7,500 plus an order to cease using the noise-making device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Evansville industrial noise judged by the parcel or the district?
Does Evansville protect industrial land from noise complaints?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Evansville
Compare Evansville to another location·View the Indiana noise ordinances overview
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