Virginia Beach, VA Noise Ordinances: Outdoor Music (2026)

Virginia Beach handles outdoor music through a combination of the citywide noise ordinance and the entertainment permit process administered through the Oceanfront Resort District rules. At private residences, outdoor speakers, patio music, and backyard gatherings are permitted during normal hours, subject to the general prohibition against unreasonable noise that disturbs neighbors. Enforcement tightens after 10 p.m. in residential areas. For commercial uses, most Oceanfront restaurants and hotels that offer outdoor live music or DJs operate under a Conditional Use Permit plus an annual entertainment permit issued by the city, which typically caps outdoor amplified performance at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday, although individual permit conditions vary. Large public outdoor music events at 17th Street Park, 24th and 31st Street parks, the Oceanfront beach, and Mount Trashmore Park require a Special Event Permit from the city and are subject to curfew and decibel conditions imposed by the permit. The Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater operates under a separate long-standing agreement allowing concerts to run until roughly 11 p.m. on weekdays. Enforcement involves coordination among the zoning administrator, the special events office, and the VBPD.