Sedona, AZ Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential night limit
- 50 dB(A), 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Residential day limit
- 60 dB(A), 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Commercial limit
- 65 dB(A) at all hours
- Industrial day limit
- 70 dB(A), 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Exceedance window
- 5 min residential, 15 min commercial/industrial
- Civil penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day
Summary
Sedona caps neighborhood noise at 50 dB(A) overnight and 60 dB(A) by day in residential zones, measured at the complainant's property line, with looser limits in commercial and industrial areas. Exceeding the standard for more than five minutes in a residential zone is a citable violation.
C. Allowable Noise Levels. 1. It is unlawful for any person to create any noise which would cause the noise level measured from any location at or within the property line of the complainant’s property to exceed the following community noise standards for more than 15 minutes in commercial areas and industrial areas and for more than five minutes in residential areas: +------------------+------------------------+----------------+ | Zone | Time | Noise Standard | | | | Maximum dB(A) | +------------------+------------------------+----------------+ | Residential area | 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. | 50 | +------------------+------------------------+----------------+ | " | 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. | 60 | +------------------+------------------------+----------------+ ... ... 2. If the measurement location is on a boundary between two zoning districts, the lower noise standard shall apply.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Initiative Ordinance 2026-01, approved by voters at the July 21, 2026 election).
Full Breakdown
" It is unlawful to create noise measured at or within the property line of a complaining neighbor's property that exceeds these standards for more than five minutes in residential areas or more than 15 minutes in commercial and industrial areas. m. Commercial areas allow 65 dB(A) at all hours, and industrial areas allow 65 dB(A) overnight and 70 dB(A) during the day. 030(C)(2) requires the lower of the two standards to be applied. 030(B): noise must be read on the A-weighted scale with a calibrated sound level meter set to slow response, with fast response reserved for impulse or rapidly varying sounds.
030(A), including properly functioning air-conditioning and pool equipment, daytime lawn and power-tool use within stated hours, church chimes, emergency work, and aircraft noise, so the table governs ordinary ongoing noise complaints such as a business's rooftop equipment or a persistent mechanical hum rather than every sound in the city.
Violations & Fines
A person who creates noise exceeding the community noise standards is subject, under SCC 8.25.070(A)(1), to a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per offense, with each day of continuing violation counted separately. Anyone found responsible for three or more civil noise violations within 24 months becomes a habitual offender under SCC 8.25.070(A)(2), facing a class 1 misdemeanor charge in Sedona Municipal Court punishable by up to six months in jail or a $2,500 fine, plus a mandatory minimum $500 fine per count and a six-month bar from obtaining a temporary use permit under SLDC 8.4(D).
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can noise be at my Sedona home at night?
How is noise measured for a Sedona noise complaint?
What happens on the border between a residential and commercial zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
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