New Berlin, WI Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Most-of-city limit (0-75 Hz)
- 72 decibels (Table 275-60-3)
- Most-of-city limit (above 4,800 Hz)
- 32 decibels
- M-2/Q-1 boundary limit (0-75 Hz)
- 79 decibels (Table 275-60-2)
- Measurement point
- Outside the premises or district boundary
- Exempt sources
- Public sirens, whistles and bells
Summary
New Berlin's zoning performance standards cap noise by octave band rather than a single decibel number. Section 275-60 E(2) limits any activity outside its premises, in any district other than the M-2 Industrial and Q-1 Quarrying Districts, to sound levels ranging from 72 decibels at low frequencies down to 32 decibels above 4,800 cycles per second.
(2)No activity in any other district shall produce a sound level outside its premises that exceeds the following: ... Octave Band Frequency (cycles per second) Sound Level (decibels) 0 to 75 72 75 to 150 67 150 to 300 59 300 to 600 52 600 to 1,200 46 1,200 to 2,400 40 2,400 to 4,800 34 Above 4,800 32
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 275-60 E of the Code of Ordinances measures noise on an octave-band sound-level meter rather than a flat decibel ceiling, and it sets two different tables depending on district. Table 275-60-2 applies only to activity in the M-2 General Industrial District and the Q-1 Quarrying and Extractive District, and caps sound measured at the district boundary at 79 decibels for the 0-to-75 cycle band, stepping down through 74, 66, 59, 53 and 47 decibels to 39 decibels above 4,800 cycles per second. Table 275-60-3 governs every other district in the city, meaning the limit that actually reaches most homes and businesses, and it is stricter: 72 decibels for 0 to 75 cycles, 67 for 75 to 150, 59 for 150 to 300, 52 for 300 to 600, 46 for 600 to 1,200, 40 for 1,200 to 2,400, 34 for 2,400 to 4,800, and 32 above 4,800 cycles per second, measured outside the premises generating the noise.
Beyond the numeric tables, Subsection E(3) requires that all noise be muffled or otherwise controlled so it does not become objectionable because of intermittence, duration, beat frequency, impulse character, periodic character or shrillness, and Subsection E(4) exempts sirens, whistles and bells maintained solely for a public purpose. This performance standard sits inside the same section that regulates air pollution, glare, water quality, vibration and outdoor lighting, all measured at the property or district line rather than tied to a specific land use.
Violations & Fines
A noise level that exceeds the applicable octave-band table is a performance-standard violation under Chapter 275, enforced through the Director's inspection and 30-day correction notice in Section 275-69, with penalties under the general Section 1-18 forfeiture schedule: $5 to $1,000 for a first offense and $10 to $1,000 for a repeat offense, plus costs. A separate citywide noise ordinance, Section 171-1, also carries its own $75 deposit for loud and unnecessary noise complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New Berlin's noise limit for a home stereo or generator?
Is the noise limit different for industrial and quarry zones?
Are fire sirens exempt from the noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Berlin
Compare New Berlin to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Waukesha County handle decibel limits.