Bernalillo County, NM Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Industrial daytime limit
- 75 dB(A)
- Industrial nighttime limit
- 70 dB(A)
- Measured where
- receiving property line
- Applies to
- unincorporated county only
- Cross-zone rule
- stricter zone's limit controls
Summary
Bernalillo County caps industrial-zone sound at 75 dB(A) in daytime and 70 dB(A) at night, measured at the receiving property line under Code § 30-115.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, no person shall make or continue, cause to be made or continued, or allow to be made or continued, any sound resulting in an exceedance of the following limits as measured on any other property receiving the sound: ... 70 dB(A) nighttime Industrial; 75 dB(A) daytime Industrial. Sound projecting from property of one land use category onto property of another land use category having a lower sound level limit shall not exceed the limits for the property of the land use category onto which it is projected.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
The county's noise article sets a sliding decibel ceiling by land-use zone, measured on the neighboring property that receives the sound. Industrial zones get the highest allowance: 70 dB(A) at night and 75 dB(A) in the daytime, versus 45/55 dB(A) for residential and 60/65 dB(A) for commercial. If industrial noise crosses onto a lower-limit zone, like a residential lot next door, it must meet that stricter limit instead. Machinery, fans, and compressors are separately held to these same section 30-115 limits under § 30-121. This applies only in unincorporated Bernalillo County, not inside Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, or Tijeras.
Violations & Fines
Violations are punishable under § 1-6's general penalty and can also be declared a public nuisance, letting a court issue a restraining order or injunction to stop the noise under § 30-112.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this limit apply inside Albuquerque?
What if industrial noise reaches a nearby house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico noise ordinances overview
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