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Jefferson Parish, LA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Residential daytime cap
60 dB(A), 7 a.m.-9:59 p.m.
Residential nighttime cap
55 dB(A), 10 p.m.-6:59 a.m.
Multifamily cap
50/45 dB(A) day/night
Industrial cap
75 dB(A) at all times
Absolute ceiling
Table 1 limit plus 15 dB(A) max
Enforcing agency
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office

Summary

Jefferson Parish caps sound at the property line by zone and time of day under Sec. 20-102(f) and Table 1: 60 dB(A) by day and 55 dB(A) overnight for residential and public-space areas, 50/45 dB(A) for multifamily buildings, 65/60 dB(A) for commercial zones, and a flat 75 dB(A) for industrial land at all hours. No source may exceed those caps by more than 15 dB(A) under any circumstance.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Jefferson Parish. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(f)Maximum permissible sound limits...(2)For any source of sound, the sound level shall not exceed the maximum permissible sound level limit set forth in Table 1 by fifteen (15) dB(A) for all land use categories. Table 1. Maximum Permissible Sound Levels By Receiving Land Use Category: Residential, noise-sensitive area, public space 7:00 a.m.—9:59 p.m. 60; 10:00 p.m.—6:59 a.m. 55. Multifamily dwelling 7:00 a.m.—9:59 p.m. 50; 10:00 p.m.—6:59 a.m. 45. Commercial, convention 7:00 a.m.—9:59 p.m. 65; 10:00 p.m.—6:59 a.m. 60. Industrial At all times 75. (d)Enforcement responsibility. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office shall be responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this section.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Table 1 of Sec. 20-102(f) sets the parish's maximum permissible sound levels by receiving land use category, measured with an A-weighted sound level meter at or beyond the property boundary of the land use category being measured (for multifamily buildings, the measurement is taken inside the adjacent dwelling unit instead of at the property line). m. Multifamily dwellings get a tighter cap, 50 dB(A) daytime and 45 dB(A) at night, reflecting that neighbors share walls. Commercial and convention areas run 65 dB(A) by day and 60 dB(A) at night.

Industrial land is capped at a flat 75 dB(A) around the clock. Subsection (f)(2) adds a hard outer boundary on top of the table: no source of sound, in any land use category, may exceed its Table 1 limit by more than fifteen dB(A) under any circumstance, closing off any argument that a brief spike is tolerable. ; temporary construction is also exempted from Table 1 but must still meet the industrial cap and the separate curfew in subsection (h)(6). The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office is the enforcing agency under subsection (d), and Code section 1-10 sets the backstop penalty for any Table 1 exceedance: a fine of up to $1,000 per violation or up to six months imprisonment, with continuing exceedances charged day by day.

Violations & Fines

Exceeding the Table 1 limit for the zone, or breaching the absolute 15 dB(A) ceiling above that limit under subsection (f)(2), is enforced by the Sheriff's Office and punished under Code section 1-10: up to $1,000 per violation or six months imprisonment, with each day of continued exceedance a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum decibel level allowed in a Jefferson Parish residential area?
Sec. 20-102(f), Table 1 caps residential, noise-sensitive and public-space areas at 60 dB(A) between 7:00 a.m. and 9:59 p.m., dropping to 55 dB(A) overnight from 10:00 p.m. to 6:59 a.m., measured at the property boundary with an A-weighted sound level meter.
Are decibel limits different for apartments?
Yes. Multifamily dwellings get a tighter cap than single-family residential: 50 dB(A) during the day and 45 dB(A) at night, and the measurement is taken inside an adjacent unit rather than at the outside property line.
Is there any noise that's always allowed no matter the decibel level?
Some sources are exempt from Table 1 entirely under subsection (g), including muffled lawn equipment during set daytime hours, emergency vehicles, permitted events, church bells, parish trash collection, and generator noise during an outage or routine testing between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Can noise ever exceed the Table 1 limit by a little?
No more than fifteen dB(A) over the applicable Table 1 limit, for any land use category, under subsection (f)(2). Anything beyond that is a violation regardless of zone or time of day.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Jefferson Parish

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