Salt Lake City, UT Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Industrial limit, night
- 75 dBA (9pm-7am)
- Industrial limit, day
- 80 dBA (7am-9pm)
- Measured at
- property/boundary line
- Enforcement
- Salt Lake Valley Health Dept.
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor, per day
Summary
Salt Lake City caps stationary industrial noise at 75 dBA overnight and 80 dBA daytime, measured at the property line under Salt Lake City Code § 9.28.060.
Use District 9:00 P.M. - 7:00 A.M. 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Residential 50 dBA 55 dBA Commercial-agricultural 55 dBA 60 dBA Industrial 75 dBA 80 dBA Sundays And Holidays
9:00 P.M. - 9:00 A.M. 9:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. Residential 50 dBA 55 dBA Commercial-agricultural 55 dBA 60 dBA 9:00 P.M. - 7:00 A.M. 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. Industrial 75 dBA 80 dBA
When a noise source can be identified and its noise measured in more than one land use category, the limits of the most restrictive use shall apply at the boundaries between different land use categories.
B. Correction For Duration Of Sound:
1. It is a violation of this chapter for any person to operate, or permit to be operated, any stationary source of sound within any land use district which creates a tenth percentile sound pressure level (L10) of fifteen
(15) dBA greater than the levels set forth for the receiving land use districts in subsection A of this section for any measurement period. Such period shall not be less than ten (10) minutes.
2. Notwithstanding subsection B1 of this section, it is a violation of this chapter for any person to operate, or permit to be operated, any stationary source of sound within any land use district which creates a tenth
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The city's noise ordinance sets a ninetieth-percentile sound pressure limit for stationary sources by land use district, measured at the property boundary. Industrial-district sources may not exceed 75 dBA from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. or 80 dBA from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays (same daytime/nighttime split applies Sundays and holidays). Where a source's noise crosses into a more restrictive district, such as adjacent commercial or residential land, the stricter district's limit governs at that boundary. Pure-tone, cyclical, or repetitive impulsive sounds must be 5 dBA lower than these limits.
Violations & Fines
Class B misdemeanor per violation; each day of continued violation is a separate offense, plus injunction or restraining order as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can an industrial site be at night in Salt Lake City?
Does the industrial limit apply near a residential area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle decibel limits.