Fort Myers, FL Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Fort Myers, FL, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Audibility test
- 50 feet from source
- Nighttime dBA cap
- 60 dBA, 11 p.m.–7 a.m.
- First-offense fine
- $135 (noncommercial)
- Enforcing agency
- Fort Myers Police Department
Summary
Fort Myers bars TVs, radios, phonographs, and yelling or shouting from being audible off-property between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., with the 50-foot audibility test serving as prima facie proof of a violation under the city's noise nuisance code.
The operation of any such set, instrument, phonograph, machine or device between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., in such a manner as to be audible at a distance of 50 feet from the building, structure, vehicle, or area in which it is located, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 54-196 of the Fort Myers Code of Ordinances declares specific nighttime noises a nuisance: electronic devices (TVs, radios, phonographs, musical instruments) audible 50 feet from the source between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. are prima facie violations, and yelling, shouting, or singing in public between those same hours is separately banned. Sec. 54-198 layers on numeric sound-level caps, dropping the residential ceiling to 60 dBA from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (versus 75 dBA by day), measured at the property line. Both sections sit in Chapter 54, Article V, the city's general nuisance-noise scheme.
Violations & Fines
Police issue citations for violations. Noncommercial fines run $135 first offense, $175 second within 12 months, $300 third, and $500 for each subsequent violation within a year; commercial/entertainment fines start at $300 and a fourth violation triggers occupational-license revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Fort Myers' quiet hours start?
Is there a decibel limit at night in Fort Myers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Myers
How Fort Myers compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Fort Myers to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle quiet hours.