Madison County, AL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

, measured at any property line or on a public street or right-of-way in the county. The ordinance's definitions section describes db(A) as sound pressure measured on the A-weighted decibel scale and requires that readings come from a decibel meter meeting recognized ANSI or IEC accuracy standards, so a Sheriff's deputy or code officer must use a certified meter, not a guess, to document a reading over the limit. The numeric caps sit alongside the ordinance's general ban on any unreasonably loud, disturbing noise, so a sound under 85 or 75 db(A) can still violate a separate clause if it disturbs a reasonable neighbor.

The Commission adopted the decibel standard under Act No. 2018-167, the 2018 constitutional amendment Madison County voters approved, with the restated ordinance effective January 31, 2024. Exceptions in Section IV, covering emergencies, permitted festivals, agricultural operations and daytime construction, can excuse a reading that would otherwise exceed the cap. A resident who believes a neighbor's stereo, generator or business equipment is exceeding the limit reports it to the Madison County Sheriff's Office for investigation.