Pasco County, FL Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Industrial next to commercial
- 72 dBA, no time limit, at the adjacent property line
- Commercial next to commercial
- 66 dBA, no time limit
- Next to residential, daytime
- 66 dBA industrial, 60 dBA commercial, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mon to Sat
- Night and all Sunday
- 55 dBA at the closest residentially zoned property line
- Impulsive noise
- Table 1 plus ten dBA, daytime Monday through Saturday only
- Waiver length
- 180 days maximum, renewable; appeal denial within 30 days
- Meter standard
- Type 2 sound level meter under ANSI S1.4
Summary
Pasco County caps noise from industrial and commercial zones at 72 dBA for industrial sources and 66 dBA for commercial sources, measured at the adjacent property line. Next to a residential district the daytime caps drop to 66 and 60 dBA, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. From 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and all day Sunday, the limit at the closest residentially zoned line is 55 dBA.
No noise shall be created in an industrial or commercial zone which exceeds those levels given on table 1 as follows, as measured on the adjacent property line. TABLE 1 Maximum Noise Levels Permitted in Industrial and Commercial Zones --> District from which Noise Emanates Adjoining Commercial District (No Time Limit) Adjoining Residential District (7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday) Industrial 72 dBA 66 dBA Commercial 66 dBA 60 dBA The maximum permitted noise level emanating from a commercially or industrially zoned district, measured at the closest adjacent residentially zoned property line for the hours between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and during all hours of Sunday shall be 55 dBA. [...] For impulsive noises, the noise levels listed in table 1 shall be increased by ten dBA, as measured on a sound level meter, during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but shall not exceed the levels of table 1 during the period from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 94 Update 1 | Land Development Code: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
Section 66-97(3) of the Pasco County Code governs noise made inside industrial and commercial zones, and it measures the sound at the adjacent property line. Table 1 has two columns. Where the neighbor is another commercial district, with no time limit, industrial sources are capped at 72 dBA and commercial sources at 66 dBA. Where the neighbor is a residential district, the daytime window of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, carries 66 dBA for industrial sources and 60 dBA for commercial sources.
The night and Sunday rule is a single flat number. For the hours between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and during all hours of Sunday, the maximum permitted level from a commercially or industrially zoned district is 55 dBA, measured at the closest adjacent residentially zoned property line.
Impulsive noise gets a ten dBA allowance, but only in daytime. The code defines impulsive noise as brief excursions of sound pressure that significantly exceed the ambient noise level. The Table 1 levels are raised by ten dBA from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. From 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday, impulsive noise cannot exceed the Table 1 levels.
Measurement rules sit in the definitions at § 66-91. Noise level means the sound pressure level in dBA, and a measurement of noise must be at least five dB above the ambient noise level. The sound level meter used to check compliance must meet or exceed the requirements for a type 2 meter under ANSI standard S1.4.
Two relief paths exist. Subsection (3) lets the county administrator grant a waiver where the activity is of such importance to public welfare, health or safety that it cannot be shut down. It also protects a business that was established away from a residential district and later finds itself adjoining one through encroachment or rezoning: the industrial-commercial boundary levels govern, and the business does not have to meet the residential boundary levels. Section 66-96 separately sets the waiver procedure, a 180 day maximum and a 30 day appeal window.
Violations & Fines
It is unlawful under § 66-93 to make, cause or allow any noise in the county above the limits in the division. The only penalty language printed in § 66-97 attaches to subsection (7), the radio, instrument and loudspeaker rule, which is prosecuted as a misdemeanor in the second degree under F.S. § 125.69(1) and section 1-6(c) of the County Code. Subsection (3) itself states no fine or jail term. A waiver denial can be appealed to the board of county commissioners within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nighttime noise limit for a business next to homes in Pasco County?
Does Table 1 apply on Sundays?
Can a Pasco County business get a waiver from the decibel limits?
Does the county noise division apply inside city limits?
What other decibel limits does Pasco County set in § 66-97?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Pasco County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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