Lake County, FL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Lake County Code § 14-34, § 14-35
- Construction hours ban
- 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., residential zones
- Refrigeration unit ban
- 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., residential zones
- First civil fine
- $150 (§14-34) or $50 (§14-35)
- Max contested penalty
- $500 in county court
- Criminal penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 60 days jail
- Applies only in
- Unincorporated Lake County
Summary
Lake County's Noise Control Ordinance sets no decibel-meter number; it bans 'excessive noise' by its effect and locks specific loud activities to fixed hours instead. Construction and demolition equipment cannot run outdoors in a residential zoning district between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and vehicular refrigeration units in those districts must shut off from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. under Code §§ 14-34 and 14-35.
The following conduct, acts and circumstances are hereby declared to be prohibited: (1)Residential construction and demolition. No person shall operate or cause the outdoor operation within any residential zoning district of any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, repair, alteration or demolition work between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day, except for emergency work by public service utilities or for road construction by or on behalf of a governmental agency which is required by the governmental agency to be done at night... (2)Vehicular refrigeration units. Vehicular refrigeration units located within residential zoning districts shall not be operated between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the following day.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 150).
Full Breakdown
01(1), and by § 14-33 it applies only in unincorporated Lake County. Section 14-34 bans 'excessive noise,' defined not by a decibel figure but by effect: sound injurious to life or property, sound that disturbs the peace or comfortable enjoyment of life or business, or sound detectible by a considerable number of people that interferes with health, repose or safety, including noise generated outside Lake County but detected within its unincorporated boundaries. Enforcement weighs the noise's level, whether it is natural or unnatural, the zoning of both the source and receiving property, proximity to sleeping areas, time of day, duration, and whether it recurs.
m. 293, nonamplified public speaking, organized sporting events, permitted special events, fireworks, permitted parades, properly permitted commercial or industrial construction, and normal agricultural activity. Section 14-36 presumes an owner or occupant knows of and permits noise continuing on their property.
Violations & Fines
Section 14-39 splits enforcement into civil and criminal tracks. A first, uncontested civil citation runs $150 for a general § 14-34 excessive-noise violation or $50 for a § 14-35 hours violation, rising to $300/$100 on a second offense and $450/$150 on further repeats, payable to the clerk of county court within ten days; a contested citation can draw up to $500 if the county court finds a violation. The sheriff's deputies can also arrest for a criminal violation after a prior warning, prosecuted under F.S. § 125.69 as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, sixty days in jail, or both, and the Code Enforcement Special Master shares concurrent jurisdiction to enforce the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lake County have a specific decibel limit for noise?
What hours can construction noise run in a residential neighborhood?
What is the fine for a first noise complaint in Lake County?
Are fireworks, sporting events or farm noise exempt from the ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lake County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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