Nashville, TN Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard nighttime limit
- 70 Db(A), 9 p.m.–6 a.m.
- DTC/CF district limit
- 85 Db(A), same hours
- Measurement point
- 4 ft, nearest residential wall
- Enforcement agencies
- Police, NDOT, Codes and Building Safety
- Exempt
- Emergency, metro, and utility vehicles
Summary
Metro Nashville caps overnight noise from business equipment, vehicles, and heavy machinery at 70 Db(A) near residential structures, rising to an 85 Db(A) ceiling for facilities in the DTC and contiguous CF zoning districts, between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
No person...shall be permitted to operate any equipment, vehicles, or heavy machinery incident to performing business or commercial functions...between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. which would emit...any noise in excess of 70 Db(A) as measured from a point as close as possible to the outside walls of any residential structure located within a residential zoning district affected by the noise at a height of four feet above the immediate surrounding surface.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Metropolitan Code of Laws § 9.20.040 restricts commercial and business noise Metro-wide between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Equipment, vehicle, or heavy-machinery noise from a business or commercial facility cannot exceed 70 Db(A), measured four feet above ground at the outside wall of the nearest residential structure in a residential zoning district. Facilities within the DTC (Downtown Code) district and contiguous CF-zoned properties get a higher 85 Db(A) overnight ceiling instead. Emergency vehicles, metro-owned or utility-company vehicles, unavoidable job-related noise, and permitted public activities are exempt. Enforcement runs through the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Nashville Department of Transportation, and Department of Codes and Building Safety under § 9.20.060.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 70 Db(A) (or 85 Db(A) in DTC/CF zones) overnight limit is a Title 9 noise violation enforced by Metro Police, NDOT, and Codes and Building Safety; each incident of excess noise is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nashville's commercial noise limit apply everywhere?
What hours does the commercial noise limit cover?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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