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Lynn, MA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Decibel ceiling
75 dB at property line
Residential quiet hours
10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Applies to
assembly establishments (entertainment venues)
Fine
$300 per violation per day
Enforcing agency
Building Commissioner (ISD)

Summary

Lynn's Zoning Ordinance caps sound from an assembly establishment, a licensed venue for live music or entertainment, at 75 decibels audible beyond the property line, and bars any audible sound equipment in a residential area between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.

a. A person may not use sound equipment audible beyond the property line that produces sound in excess of 75 decibels.

b. A person may not use sound equipment that produces sound audible beyond the property line in a residential area between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

F, 'Assembly establishments,' regulates venues where people gather for live music, performance and entertainment under the 2025 Zoning Ordinance adopted June 24, 2025. ' Together the two rules mean an assembly establishment must keep its amplified sound at or under 75 decibels at the property line at all times, and if that property line borders a residential area, sound equipment cannot be audible off-site at all overnight. ' This is a zoning-code standard specific to licensed assembly establishments; it is separate from the City's general noise ordinance in the Revised Ordinances, which is not part of the Zoning Ordinance and covers unnecessary noise citywide rather than this establishment-specific decibel cap.

Violations & Fines

Exceeding 75 decibels at the property line, or running audible sound equipment overnight in a residential area, is a zoning violation under Section 11.B. The Building Commissioner can order the equipment shut down or the volume reduced, and conviction carries a $300 fine per violation, with each day of continued excess sound a separate offense, under Section 11.B.3.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the maximum decibel level for a Lynn music venue?
75 decibels, measured at the property line. Section 8.F.2.a of the Zoning Ordinance bars any assembly establishment from using sound equipment that produces sound 'in excess of 75 decibels' audible beyond its own property line, at any time of day.
Can a bar play loud music at night near homes in Lynn?
Not if it's audible off-site. Section 8.F.2.b flatly bars sound equipment 'audible beyond the property line in a residential area between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.,' regardless of the 75-decibel cap that applies the rest of the day.
Does the 75-decibel rule apply to every business in Lynn?
No, it's specific to 'assembly establishments,' the ordinance's term for venues built around live music, performance, and entertainment, under Section 8.F. Other noise complaints in Lynn fall under the separate Revised Ordinances noise chapter, not this zoning standard.
Who enforces the decibel limit on Lynn entertainment venues?
The Building Commissioner, under the Zoning Ordinance's general enforcement authority in Section 11.A. A violation can bring an order to cut the volume plus a $300 fine per violation, with each day of continued excess counted separately.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Lynn

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome Restrictions

All Lynn rules

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