Lake County, IN Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential limit
- 55 dBA at boundary, all times
- Commercial limit
- 55 dBA at boundary, all times
- Industrial limit
- 66 dBA at boundary, all times
- Between two zones
- Lower limit applies
- Vibrations
- No perceptible earth-shaking beyond boundary
Summary
Unincorporated Lake County, Indiana sets numeric boundary decibel limits (Code § 93.03): 55 dBA at all times for residential and commercial zones and 66 dBA for industrial zones, measured at the property boundary. Perceptible earth-shaking vibrations beyond the boundary are also prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any person to cause the sound pressure level to exceed the limits listed below at any point on the boundary of the property where the person is located. (1) If the person is located within a residential zone: 55 dBA at all times. (2) If the person is located within commercial zone: 55 dBA at all times. (3) If the person is located within an industrial zone: 66 dBA at all times.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-14: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through 6-9-2026; and State legislation current through Indiana Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
Lake County Code § 93.03 imposes boundary sound-pressure caps that apply at all times, not just at night. A person may not cause noise to exceed 55 dBA at any point on the property boundary if located in a residential zone or a commercial zone, or 66 dBA if located in an industrial zone. If a property boundary lies between two zones, the lower limit applies regardless of where the noise-maker is. The chapter also bars, in residential and commercial zones, any earth-shaking vibrations perceptible without instruments beyond the property boundary. Appendices to Chapter 93 provide octave-band SPL breakdowns of these dBA limits. These limits govern unincorporated Lake County; municipalities set their own.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the § 93.03 boundary decibel limits is punished under the general penalty § 10.99, enforced by the Lake County Police Department with citations filed in Lake Superior Court, County Division.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the decibel limit in unincorporated Lake County, Indiana?
Do the decibel limits change at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Compare Lake County to another location·View the Indiana noise ordinances overview
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