Caddo Parish, LA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Caddo Parish, LA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime window
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Noise-sensitive receiver, night cap
- 45 dBA
- Residential receiver, night cap
- 50 dBA
- Other receiver cap (day and night)
- 60 dBA
- Background-level allowance
- 5 dBA above background, whichever is greater
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 32-163, Table 1
Summary
Caddo Parish's Table 1 sound-level chart under Code of Ordinances § 32-163 sets lower decibel ceilings for every receiving property between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. than during the day.
(a) No person or entity shall cause, allow, or permit the operation of any source of sound which creates a sound level that exceeds the background sound level by more than 5 dBA or the applicable levels in Table 1 at a regulated receiver, whichever is greater, when measured in accordance with section 32-165. [...] Table 1: Maximum permissible A-weighted sound levels (dBA) listed by receiving property type and time of day. Outdoor Receiving Property Type: Noise Sensitive Receiver Residential or Designated Protected Receiver Other Receiver Time: 7a.m.- 10p.m. 10p.m.- 7a.m. 7a.m.- 10p.m. 10p.m.- 7a.m. 7a.m.- 10p.m. 10p.m.- 7a.m. Maximum permissible A-weighted sound level, dBA* 50 45 55 50 60 60
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 32-163(a) bars any sound source from exceeding the background sound level by more than 5 dBA, or the applicable Table 1 limit, whichever is greater, measured at or within the receiving property line. Table 1 sets separate daytime (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and nighttime (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) maximum A-weighted sound levels by receiver type: noise-sensitive receivers drop from 50 dBA by day to 45 dBA at night; residential or designated protected receivers drop from 55 dBA to 50 dBA; and 'other' receivers hold at 60 dBA both day and night.
A temporary noise allowance can raise these caps for short events (a 15 dB bump for a single day, or 10 dB for up to 14 consecutive days), but only once every 90 days and only if the responsible party first notifies potentially affected neighbors. Compliance is measured using the procedures in § 32-165, which require a calibrated Type 1 or Type 2 ANSI-compliant sound level meter and, for planning or permitting, a 72-hour background survey covering at least one full weekend day. This nighttime step-down functions as the parish's general noise curfew, layered underneath the specific hour restrictions on power tools, construction and amplified sound found elsewhere in § 32-164.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the applicable Table 1 nighttime limit is enforced under § 32-166 as a civil penalty of up to $500.00 or up to 30 days imprisonment per offense, with each day of a continuing exceedance treated as a separate offense; the parish may also seek injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the quietest hours under Caddo Parish's noise code?
Can a neighbor get a temporary exception to run louder equipment at night?
How does the parish measure whether a nighttime noise complaint violates the code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Caddo Parish
Compare Caddo Parish to another location·View the Louisiana noise ordinances overview
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