Peoria, IL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Development Code § 4.5.7.C.1.c
- Residential daytime limit, 31.5 Hz
- 72 decibels maximum
- Residential nighttime limit, 31.5 Hz
- 63 decibels maximum
- Measurement distance
- At least 25 feet from noise source
- Applies to
- Industrial district uses established after code's effective date
- Certification required
- Illinois-licensed professional engineer
Summary
Peoria's Unified Development Code sets numeric octave-band sound pressure limits in Section 4.5.7.C.1.c for noise crossing from an industrial district into a receiving residential district, capping low-frequency (31.5 Hz) sound at 72 decibels by day and 63 decibels at night, measured at least 25 feet from the source. Limits loosen for noise reaching business, commercial or other industrial lots.
c. Sound Emitted Except as elsewhere provided in this development code, no use shall cause or allow the emission of sound which exceeds the allowable octave band sound pressure level specified below:
PRESSURE LEVELS (db) OF SOUND EMITTED TO ANY RECEIVING: Octave Band Center Frequency (hertz) Residential District from and Industrial District (Daytime Hours) 1 Residential District from and Industrial District (Nightime Hours) 1 Business and Commercial District from an Industrial District 2 Lot from Neighboring Industrial Lots 3
31.5 72 63 79 80 63 71 61 78 79 125 65 55 72 74 250 57 47 64 69 500 51 40 58 63
1 Measured at any point within such receiving residential district, however not less than twenty-five (25) feet from such noise source.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 119).
Full Breakdown
B, which requires a state-licensed professional engineer to certify that a proposed industrial building complies with these performance standards before a permit issues. 5 Hz), the same residential receiving district at night (a stricter 63 dB), a business or commercial district receiving industrial noise (up to 79 dB), and one industrial lot receiving noise from a neighboring industrial lot (up to 80 dB, the most permissive category). Measurements for the residential-daytime and residential-nighttime columns must be taken at least 25 feet from the noise source.
e, set additional limits on impulsive sound and prohibit prominent discrete tones that stand out from the ambient octave band level. 1-1960 and the other ANSI standards named directly in the code, giving both the city and an applicant's engineer a fixed, repeatable measurement protocol rather than a subjective nuisance standard.
Violations & Fines
A use that exceeds these octave-band limits is a Development Code violation under Section 2.15, fined $300 to $750 per offense, rising to $525 for a second violation and $750 for a third, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense. The Zoning Administrator can also withhold or revoke a building or occupancy permit and may seek an injunction or other equitable relief to stop an industrial use that is not operating within its certified noise limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Peoria limit industrial noise reaching a residential neighborhood?
Are Peoria's industrial noise limits the same day and night?
Who has to certify compliance with Peoria's industrial noise standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Peoria
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