Scottsdale, AZ Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Presumed unreasonable threshold
- Over 68 dB(A)
- Audibility distance
- 100+ feet from business
- First violation fine
- $500
- Repeat fines
- $1,500 then $2,500 within a year
- Meter standard
- ANSI S1.4-1971 Type 1, A-weighted
- Enforcement authority
- City Manager, police, City Attorney
Summary
Scottsdale Sec. 19-26 bars any business that serves alcohol or provides live entertainment from creating unreasonable noise that disturbs a nearby residential district, and Sec. 19-25 sets a rebuttable presumption that a reading over 68 dB(A), audible 100 feet or more from the business, is unreasonable.
(15)Unreasonable noise means noise that a reasonable person of normal sensibilities would find excessive and that can be heard at least one hundred (100) feet from the business...(A)It shall be unlawful for a business that serves alcohol or provides live entertainment to create unreasonable noise that through its operations disturbs the peace or quiet of a residential district that contains dwellings...(C)A sound level meter may be used, but is not required, to assist in determining whether noise is unreasonable or not.(D)It shall be a rebuttable presumption under this article that noise levels over sixty-eight (68) db(A) are considered unreasonable.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Section 19-25 defines "unreasonable noise" as noise a reasonable person of normal sensibilities would find excessive and that can be heard at least 100 feet from the business. Section 19-26 makes it unlawful for a business serving alcohol or providing live entertainment to create such noise where it disturbs the peace or quiet of a residential district containing dwellings, with "residential district" specifically defined to include the R1, R-2 through R-5 and manufactured-home zoning districts but to exclude resort, service-residential, downtown and planned-development districts. A Scottsdale police officer or other city employee designated by the City Manager can make the reasonable-person determination, and a sound level meter may be used but is not legally required; when a meter is used, Sec.
3 decibel, with the ambient sound level verified and noted. Two exemptions apply: non-amplified noise from a business's own patrons, and noise from an event operating under a valid city special-events permit and in compliance with its conditions. Enforcement runs through civil complaints that the City Manager or designee, a Scottsdale police officer, or the City Attorney may issue under Sec. 19-29, which also authorizes a notice of violation giving the business time to correct the problem before a complaint issues.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 19-28 makes a first violation a civil offense carrying a $500 fine, a second violation within one year $1,500, and a third or subsequent violation within one year $2,500. A business that violates the noise conditions of its own city-issued special-events permit is separately fined $2,500 regardless of prior history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Scottsdale officers need a decibel meter to cite a noisy bar?
What decibel level is presumed unreasonable in Scottsdale?
How much does a noise violation cost a Scottsdale business?
Is patron noise outside a bar counted against the business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
Compare Scottsdale 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.