Knox County, TN Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Lowest-frequency limit
- 77 dB at 63 Hz
- Highest-frequency limit
- 39 dB at 8,000 Hz
- Measurement point
- Lot or tract boundary line
- Meter standard
- USASI S1.4-1961, slow response
- Governing article
- Art. 4, Supplementary Regulations
Summary
Knox County's zoning ordinance sets a sliding decibel ceiling by sound frequency for any use or activity measured at a lot's boundary, ranging from 77 decibels at low frequencies down to 39 decibels at the highest, as one of the article 4 performance standards that apply across zoning districts.
4.10.01. Noise. A.Principle. No person shall operate, cause to operate or allow to operate any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound level at any point on or beyond the boundary of any lot or tract which exceeds the limits set forth in these standards. ... B.Standards. The sound pressure level resulting from any use or activity shall not exceed the maximum permitted decibel levels for the designated octave bands set forth in these standards. Center Frequency in Hertz: 63=77, 125=71, 250=63, 500=57, 1,000=51, 2,000=45, 4,000=40, 8,000=39 (Sound Pressure Level in Decibels, Re: 0.0002 microbar). Measurements must be made with a sound level meter which meets USASI Standards, S1.4-1961 set on slow meter response.
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
01, part of the article 4 'Supplementary regulations applying to a specific, to several, or to all zones,' states the general principle in subsection A: no person may operate or allow operation of any sound source creating a sound level at any point on or beyond a lot or tract boundary that exceeds the limits in the standards, though the rule exempts noise outside the property user's control, construction and site-preparation noise, safety and warning signals, railroads, noise under five seconds occurring fewer than ten times an hour, mobile equipment run less than two hours in a 24-hour period, and normal vehicle noise from traffic entering or leaving the premises. 4-1961 on slow response. 04, all enforced as conditions any use in the zoning district must meet regardless of the specific zone.
Violations & Fines
A use or activity whose measured sound pressure level exceeds the applicable octave-band limit in Section 4.10.01.B at the lot or tract boundary is a zoning violation subject to enforcement by Knox County Code Administration, independent of any separate approval, like a use on review, that the activity may already hold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum noise level allowed at a Knox County property line?
Does the zoning noise standard apply to construction noise?
Is this the same rule as Knox County's general noise ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knox County
Compare Knox County to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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