Pinal County, AZ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Pinal County, AZ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Residential nighttime limit
- 55 dBA, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Rural nighttime limit
- 60 dBA, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Governing section
- Pinal County Code § 10-24(1); Table 1
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Pinal County only
- Criminal penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, A.R.S. § 13-2904
- Civil penalty
- Up to $750 per day
Summary
Pinal County's noise ordinance sets nighttime sound limits by zoning district under Sec. 10-24, applying only in unincorporated areas. Residential and rural properties get stricter caps after dark, dropping from 60 dBA to 55 dBA overnight in residential zones and from 65 to 60 dBA in rural zones, measured at the property line. Violating the limits is a public nuisance carrying a Class 1 misdemeanor charge or civil fines up to $750 a day.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this section for any person to operate or to permit to be operated any site-specific source of sound which when measured at any point of the property line where the noise emission is generated: 1. Creates a sound level in excess of its ambient sound pressure level (LEQ) limit, indicated in table 1 below: ... (Residential) CR-1A, CR-1, CR-2, CR-3, CR-4, CR-5, OS, MH, RV, MHP, PM/RVP, TR 60 dBA (7:00 a.m. — 8 p.m.); 55 dBA (8:00 p.m. — 7:00 a.m.)
Full Breakdown
05, Chapter II of Title 10 (Sec. 10-19 through 10-28) applies 'only within the unincorporated areas of the county,' exempting every incorporated city, town and Indian reservation. Sec. 10-24(1) sets the core nighttime standard: it is unlawful to operate a 'site-specific source of sound' that exceeds the LEQ (equivalent sound level) limit for the property's zoning district, measured at the property line, under Table 1. m. Sound projected from a quieter zoning district into a louder one must still meet the quieter district's limit. 4-1971 under Sec.
10-23. Sec. 10-27 exempts heating and cooling equipment, landscape maintenance equipment, emergency vehicles and work, agricultural equipment, railroad noise, and board-approved special events from the chapter, provided the equipment itself is properly maintained and muffled. Motorized sporting events cleared through site-plan review are capped at 120 decibels at the event's property line under the same section.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 10-28 makes any violation of the noise chapter, including exceeding the Table 1 nighttime limits, a public nuisance and a Class 1 misdemeanor disorderly-conduct offense under A.R.S. § 13-2904, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense. The county may instead pursue it as a civil infraction carrying fines of up to $750.00 per day. The board of supervisors, county attorney, code compliance manager, or a damaged neighboring property owner can also seek an injunction or abatement order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nighttime noise limit in unincorporated Pinal County?
Does the noise ordinance apply inside Florence or Casa Grande?
What is the penalty for violating the noise ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pinal County
How Pinal County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Pinal County to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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