Plano, TX Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Plano enforces noise through a dual framework: a plainly audible test (sound audible at a neighboring property or inside a neighboring dwelling that disturbs a reasonable person) and numeric decibel limits measured at the receiving property line. The ordinance contains tables tied to the zoning of the receiving parcel, with the most protective thresholds applied when the receiver is a residential property. In practice, daytime residential-boundary limits fall in the low 60s dBA and nighttime limits drop to the mid 50s dBA, with additional reductions for pure tones or impulsive sounds. Texas Penal Code section 42.01 sets a statewide backstop at 85 decibels for disorderly-conduct noise citations, and it requires a peace officer to give a prior warning before a citation can issue; Plano officers routinely use that process in parallel with the city ordinance. Code Compliance and Plano Police use calibrated Type 2 sound-level meters when building enforceable measurements, with A-weighting and slow response as the default. Common complaint sources measured under this framework include car stereos, HVAC chillers, industrial fans, late-night patio crowds, and construction equipment. Violations can carry Class C misdemeanor fines up to 500 dollars per incident, rising to 2,000 dollars per day when health or safety is implicated.