Okaloosa County, FL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 11-104
- Daytime limit
- 60 dBA, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Nighttime limit
- 55 dBA, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Measurement point
- At or inside the property line
- Violation threshold
- Exceeding limit over 10% of 10-min period
- Variance authority
- Planning & zoning board of adjustment (§ 11-108)
Summary
Okaloosa County caps outdoor sound at fixed decibel levels tied to zoning and time of day. Code of Ordinances Sec. 11-104 sets 60 dBA as the daytime limit and 55 dBA overnight at single-family and multifamily residential lots, noise-sensitive zones, and the B1/B2-restricted part of Santa Rosa Island Subdivision, measured at or inside the property line.
(a)Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the following applicable sound level limits are established for the following applicable times when measured at or inside the property lines of the following applicable land use categories: Single-family residential dwelling lot not in an agricultural, business, or industrial zoning district, any other lot zoned for residential use, property south and east of U.S. Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Island Subdivision restricted to B1 or B2 use, noise-sensitive zones, or multifamily residential dwelling units or lots not in an agricultural, business or industrial zoning district 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. 60 55 (b)For any source of sound which emits a pure tone, the sound level limits set forth above shall be reduced by five dBA.(c)The land use categories set forth in subsection (a) shall be subject to existing special exceptions, nonconforming uses and variances.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
Sec. S. , measured at or inside the property line. Sec. 11-106 makes it unlawful to produce or allow sound exceeding those limits for more than ten percent of any measurement period of at least ten minutes, and Sec. 11-105 requires the measurement to be taken with a calibrated sound level meter. Sec. 11-104(c) keeps the limits subject to any existing special exceptions, nonconforming uses and variances already granted for a property, and Sec. 11-108 lets the county's planning and zoning board of adjustment grant new variances from Sec. 11-104 and 11-106 on the same standards used for other zoning variances. Sixteen categories of sound are exempt outright under Sec. m.
Violations & Fines
A property owner or business that lets sound cross onto a limited-category lot above 60 dBA by day or 55 dBA by night, for more than ten percent of any ten-minute measurement window, violates Sec. 11-106. Complaints are measured with a calibrated sound level meter under Sec. 11-105, and enforcement runs through the county's code enforcement process; Sec. 11-108 is the only path to relief, letting the planning and zoning board of adjustment grant a variance from the numeric limits on the same grounds it would grant any zoning variance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the daytime noise limit in unincorporated Okaloosa County?
How is noise measured for enforcement in Okaloosa County?
Can a property get a variance from the Okaloosa County noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Okaloosa County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Okaloosa County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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