Sarasota County, FL Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Sarasota County, 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 p.m. to 7 a.m. countywide
- Residential nighttime cap
- 55 dBA / 60 dBC
- Construction
- Barred overnight; allowed 7a-8p Mon-Sat only
- Sundays
- Construction must meet full decibel limits
- Refuse collection
- Exempt only 6a-8p, not overnight
- First response
- Warning, 15-minute window to comply
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 60 days jail
Summary
Unincorporated Sarasota County's quiet hours run from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., when Sec. 54-118 drops the residential noise ceiling from 65 dBA (70 dBC) to 55 dBA (60 dBC) at the property line. The stricter overnight cap applies to every generating land use in the county's sound-control table, not just homes.
TABLE I Residential 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 65 70 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 55 60 Commercial/Business 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 75 80 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 70 75 Governmental/OPI 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 65 70 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 60 65 Intensive Commercial/Industrial All times 75 80 ... (13)Sounds produced by the following shall be exempt from the provisions of this section between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.:a.Construction and demolition equipment and activities Monday through Saturday only. Construction activities that take place from 8:01 p.m. through 6:59 a.m. on Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday, shall meet the decibel limitations of this Article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 98).
Full Breakdown
Sec. , and every category tightens at night: residential drops from 65/70 dBA/dBC to 55/60, commercial/business from 75/80 to 70/75, and governmental/office/institutional from 65/70 to 60/65. Only Intensive Commercial/Industrial parcels are held to the same 75/80 dBA/dBC ceiling around the clock. on those days, and all day Sunday, to meet the numeric decibel limits like any other source. , seven days a week, so early pre-dawn pickups still fall under the nighttime cap. A reading taken anywhere in the overnight window that exceeds the residential 55 dBA/60 dBC figure at the real property line is a violation regardless of the source, unless one of the section's specific exemptions, such as church bells, emergency alarms terminating within 15 minutes, or properly muffled air conditioning and pool equipment, applies.
Violations & Fines
An overnight reading above the nighttime figure draws a warning first, giving about 15 minutes to comply. If the source is still over the limit after that window, or the violation repeats within 90 days, the case moves to code enforcement under Chapter 2, Article VIII or a criminal charge carrying up to a $500.00 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both; each additional day is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Sarasota County's noise rules get stricter at night?
Can construction crews work in unincorporated Sarasota County at night?
Are early-morning garbage trucks exempt from the quiet-hours limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
How Sarasota County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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