James City County, VA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Distance threshold
- plainly audible at 100 feet
- Barred hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Applies to
- uses adjacent to residential/mixed-use districts
- Standard type
- plainly-audible distance test, no dB meter
- First penalty
- $50.00 civil fine
- Enforcing official
- county administrator
Summary
James City County has no meter-based decibel table; instead Sec. 15-20(f)(2) bars any noise plainly audible 100 feet from its source, between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., for any use adjacent to a residential zoned district or residentially designated structure. That distance-and-time test is the county's functional numeric noise standard.
Uses adjacent to residential zoned districts and areas, and/or structures designated as residential on master plans and in mixed use zoned districts. No person shall cause or permit to be caused any noise which is plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet from its source between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
Rather than setting a decibel ceiling with a meter, the James City County Noise Ordinance uses a 'plainly audible' distance test as its numeric standard. Sec. 15-20(f), the ordinance's general prohibitions clause, applies in addition to the use-specific rules in Sec. 15-20(e) and sets two distinct thresholds. For uses adjacent to a residential zoned district, area, or a structure designated residential on the county's master plans, or adjacent to a mixed-use zoned district, Sec. m. That is a wider buffer and shorter overnight window than the residential-to-residential rule in Sec.
m. 'Plainly audible' is defined in Sec. 15-20(c) as any sound detectable by unaided hearing, with bass reverberations alone sufficient. The county administrator enforces the ordinance, and Sec. 15-20(i) requires an oral warning, then a written warning valid for 180 days, before a notice of violation issues if the noise does not stop within 15 minutes. Civil penalties escalate under Sec. 00 for a third within 180 days, with a fourth becoming a Class 4 misdemeanor and grounds for the county to seek an injunction.
Violations & Fines
A use adjacent to a residential or mixed-use zoned district that causes noise plainly audible 100 feet away between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. faces a $50.00 civil penalty for a first violation, $100.00 for a second within 180 days, and $500.00 for a third, with a fourth becoming a Class 4 misdemeanor; the county can also seek an injunction against continuing violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does James City County set a decibel limit for noise?
How is 'plainly audible' measured without a decibel meter?
What is the penalty for exceeding the 100-foot noise standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in James City County
Compare James City County to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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