Santa Fe, NM Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential limit (night)
- 50 dBA, 9pm-7am
- Residential limit (day)
- 55 dBA, 7am-9pm
- Industrial-agricultural limit
- 70/75 dBA
- Measurement point
- 1 ft inside property line
- First-offense fine
- up to $300
- Hardship relief
- permit from city manager
Summary
Santa Fe caps stationary noise by zone and time of day: 50 dBA overnight and 55 dBA daytime in residential zones, rising to 70/75 dBA in industrial-agricultural zones. The city manager's designee measures at the property line under Code Section 10-2.5.
It is a violation of this section for any person to operate or permit to be operated any stationary source of sound in such a manner as to create a ninetieth percentile sound pressure level (L90) for a measurement period of ten (10) minutes or more unless otherwise provided in this section, which exceeds the limits set forth for the following receiving zones... Residential 50 dBA [9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.] 55 dBA [7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.]... Commercial 55 dBA 60 dBA... Industrial-Agricultural 70 dBA 75 dBA.
Full Breakdown
5 SFCC 1987 sets maximum exterior sound pressure levels for every zone district, measured at least one foot inside the affected property line, three to six feet above grade and four feet from reflective surfaces. m. Commercial zones (C-1, C-2, C-4, SC, BCD) top out at 55/60 dBA, and industrial-agricultural zones (I-1, I-2, IP) top out at 70/75 dBA. Where a noise source can be measured in more than one land-use category, the more restrictive zone's limit applies at the boundary. A separate violation exists if a tenth-percentile reading (L10) runs ten dBA above the base limit, or more than fifteen dBA above the ambient ninetieth-percentile level (L90), each measured over a period of at least ten minutes.
curfew on construction equipment, power tools over five horsepower capped at 88 dBA at 25 feet, and lawn and garden equipment capped at 80 dBA at 25 feet during those same nighttime hours. 8 by written application to the city manager's designee, with a right to appeal a denial to the governing body within five calendar days. 13 by summons or a written abatement notice of up to five days.
Violations & Fines
A first noise-disturbance conviction under Section 10-2.14 carries a fine up to $300 or up to 90 days in jail, or both; each day a violation continues is a separate offense. Motor-vehicle noise violations carry a flat $30 first-offense fine, waived if the vehicle is repaired and passes a compliance retest before the court date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nighttime noise limit in a Santa Fe residential zone?
Do commercial and industrial zones get higher noise limits?
Can I get relief from the noise limits for a temporary project?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Fe
Compare Santa Fe to another location·View the New Mexico noise ordinances overview
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