Meriden, CT Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Class C to Class C daytime cap
- 70 dBA
- Class C to Class A daytime cap
- 61 dBA
- Class C to Class A nighttime cap
- 51 dBA
- Impulse noise cap, any zone/time
- 100 dB peak
- Base fine
- Up to $77
- Continuing fine cap
- $500 per day
- Enforcing agency
- Meriden Police Department
Summary
Meriden Code § 141-5 sets numeric decibel ceilings tied to the zone that emits sound and the zone that receives it. An industrial (Class C) source may not exceed 70 dBA into another Class C zone, 66 dBA into commercial Class B, 61 dBA into residential Class A by day, and 51 dBA into Class A at night. Impulse noise reaching a residential zone at night is capped at 80 dB peak; any zone, any time, tops out at 100 dB peak.
§ 141-5. Noise zone standards. ... B. It shall be unlawful for any person to emit or cause to be emitted any noise beyond the property lines or boundaries of his/her premises in excess of the following noise levels: Receptor Zone Class Emitter Noise Zone C (dBA) B (dBA) A-Day (dBA) A-Night (dBA) Class C 70 66 61 51 Class B 62 62 55 45 Class A 62 55 55 45 C. Impulse noise standards. (1) Class A receptor, nighttime. It shall be unlawful for any person to emit or cause to be emitted any impulse noise beyond the property lines of his/her premises to a Class A receptor noise zone during nighttime hours in excess of 80 dB peak sound-pressure level.
Full Breakdown
Noise zones track the City's zoning map under § 141-4: Class A is residential, Class B commercial, Class C industrial. § 141-5.B's table sets the ceiling by pairing the emitting zone's class against the receiving zone's class, with residential receptors split into day (7:00 am to 9:00 pm weekdays, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Sunday) and night. Measurements are taken with a calibrated sound-level meter at least one foot inside the receiving property's line, following the procedures in § 141-3, including four feet of meter elevation and pre- and post-measurement calibration.
Where background noise from unregulated sources already runs high, § 141-5.D lets a source be cited if it exceeds that background by 5 dBA, but no source may exceed 80 dBA at any time regardless of background. Impulse noise, defined as a sound under one second with an abrupt onset, is separately capped at 80 dB peak sound-pressure level reaching a residential zone at night and 100 dB peak reaching any zone at any time, per § 141-5.C. Anyone seeking relief from a stricter Meriden standard than state Department of Environmental Protection noise regulations can apply to the Chief of Police for a variance at least 20 days before the activity, per § 141-10, by describing the activity's location, hours and noise intensity; a ruling not issued within the review period counts as approved.
Violations & Fines
The Meriden Police Department issues citations for Chapter 141 violations under § 141-9.A. § 141-9.B fines a first violation up to $77, and doubles the fine for each day the violation continues past the deadline set in a correction order, up to a cap of $500 per day. Tampering with a City sound-monitoring device that is clearly labeled as such is itself a separate violation under § 141-3.C(6).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the loudest a business can be at night near homes in Meriden?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Meriden
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