Phoenix, AZ Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime limit
- 55 dB(A), 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Nighttime limit
- 45 dB(A), 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
- Measured at
- nearest residential property line
- Applies to
- special-permit data centers
- Enforcement point
- site plan and C.O. approval
Summary
Special-permit data centers near homes in Phoenix must stay at or below 55 dB(A) daytime and 45 dB(A) at night, measured at the residential property line.
Preliminary site plan approval for a data center shall not be granted unless it has been demonstrated that the data center, including all on-site mechanical equipment and facilities, will not exceed a sound level of 55 dB(A) when measured at the property line of the nearest residentially zoned property to the proposed data center property between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and 45 dB(A) between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or a specific noise standard may be stipulated as a condition of an approved special permit.
(b) Upon approval of the noise study, the methods proposed to mitigate noise shall be stipulated as a condition of final site plan approval. A final certificate of occupancy shall not be issued if the noise levels exceed a sound level of 55 dB(A) when measured at the property line of the nearest residentially zoned property to the proposed data center property between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. or 45 dB(A) between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or the specific noise standard stipulated as a condition of the approved special permit.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Data centers approved by special permit in the C-2, C-3, CP/GCP, A-1, and A-2 districts can't exceed a sound level of 55 dB(A), measured at the property line of the nearest residentially zoned parcel, between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. The cap drops to 45 dB(A) overnight, from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. A noise study must prove compliance before preliminary site plan approval, and the city won't issue a final certificate of occupancy if measured levels exceed those numbers, unless a different standard was stipulated as a condition of the special permit itself.
Violations & Fines
Preliminary site plan approval withheld until a noise study confirms compliance; final certificate of occupancy denied if post-construction levels exceed 55 dB(A) day / 45 dB(A) night at the residential property line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Phoenix have a citywide numeric decibel limit for all noise sources?
When is the data center noise limit measured?
Can a data center get a different noise limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
Compare Phoenix to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle decibel limits.