Tuscaloosa, AL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Tuscaloosa City Code Sec. 10.8-12, 10.8-13
- Residential day
- 75 dB(A) 6 a.m.-9 p.m. (post-2018)
- Residential night
- 65 dB(A) 9 p.m.-6 a.m. (post-2018)
- Vehicle stereo
- 75 dB(A) on public street (Sec. 10.8-15)
- Meter standard
- ANSI Sec. 1.4 type-2 decibel meter (Sec. 10.8-12)
Summary
Tuscaloosa uses measurable dB(A) limits, not a subjective standard. In residential districts the cap is 75 dB(A) by day and 65 dB(A) at night (lowered from 80/75 in 2018), measured on the A-weighted scale at the property line. A separate 75 dB(A) cap applies to car stereos on public streets.
db(A) shall mean a measure of sound pressure level in decibels on the A-weighted scale. Decibel meter shall mean an instrument to measure decibels which meets or exceeds American National Standards Institute (ANSI) section 1.4, 1971(r. 1976) standards for type 2 special purpose meters.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102).
Full Breakdown
Tuscaloosa is among the Alabama cities that enforce noise using numeric decibel limits rather than a purely subjective nuisance test. 4 type-2 standards. , measured at the property line or on a bordering public street. The originally codified values were 80 dB(A) (day) and 75 dB(A) (night); the City Council lowered them by 10 dB on June 26, 2018 to 75 dB(A) (day) and 65 dB(A) (night). 8-15). The code does not publish a separate decibel table for commercial or industrial districts; the numeric limits are keyed to residential districts and public rights-of-way bordering them.
Violations & Fines
Decibel-limit violations are measured by a qualifying meter and prosecuted under Sections 10.8-13 and 10.8-15 in Tuscaloosa Municipal Court. Under Alabama Code Section 11-45-9, the penalty is up to $500 and/or up to six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tuscaloosa have a numeric decibel limit?
Are the limits the same in commercial and industrial areas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tuscaloosa
Compare Tuscaloosa to another location·View the Alabama noise ordinances overview
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