Prescott Valley, AZ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Prescott Valley, AZ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Night presumption
- Over 60 dB(A) between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
- Where it applies
- Noise heard beyond the originating property line
- Meter required?
- No, a sound level meter can be used but is not required
- First offense
- Civil penalty of up to $350
- Third offense in 24 months
- Class 1 misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000
- Duration
- Each day a violation continues is a separate offense
Summary
In the Town of Prescott Valley, Arizona, noise over 60 dB(A) between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is presumed unreasonable if it can be heard beyond the property line where it originates. Town Code § 10-01-070(C)(1) makes unreasonably loud music a public nuisance and escalates from a civil penalty of up to $350 to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
C. Unlawful Activities. 1. Public Nuisance; Music/Musical Instruments. Except as set forth in Subsection D below, it is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person owning or operating or in control of any residence, business, restaurant, hotel, dance hall, show, store or any place of public amusement, entertainment or accommodation, to play or permit to be played any music or musical instrument or instruments whether played by individuals, orchestra, radio, phonograph, music box or sound amplification system in such an unreasonably loud or unusual manner as to be offensive to the senses, or so as to disturb the slumber, peace and quiet, or otherwise interfere with or annoy the comfortable enjoyment of life or property of any person ... b. A sound level meter may be used, but is not required, to assist in determining whether noise is unreasonable. c. It shall be a rebuttable presumption under this Section that noise levels over 60 dB(A) between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. are unreasonable if they can be heard beyond the property line of the property where the noise originates.
Full Breakdown
Town Code § 10-01-070 states the Town of Prescott Valley's policy to prohibit excessive, unnecessary and annoying noises from all sources subject to its police power. Subsection C(1) declares it a public nuisance, and unlawful, for any person owning, operating or in control of any residence, business, restaurant, hotel, dance hall, show, store or place of public amusement, entertainment or accommodation to play or permit music or musical instruments, including radio, phonograph, music box or sound amplification system, in such an unreasonably loud or unusual manner as to be offensive to the senses or to disturb the slumber, peace and quiet of any person. The annoyance does not have to fall equally on everyone to count.
The night rule is a rebuttable presumption: noise levels over 60 dB(A) between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. are unreasonable if they can be heard beyond the property line of the property where the noise originates. Noise level means sound measured with a sound level meter using the A-weighting network. The code says a sound level meter can be used but is not required, so an officer can find a violation by judgment alone. For that judgment, a reasonable person of normal sensibilities includes Prescott Valley police officers or other Town employees designated by the Town Manager to enforce the section.
Commercial properties have a separate regime. Subsection D, which sets measured limits inside a complainant's dwelling, applies within the C1, C2 and C3 zoning districts, and C(1) opens with the words "Except as set forth in Subsection D." Residential area for purposes of the section means the R1L, R1M, R1MH, R2, RCU and RS districts.
Exemptions in Subsection E cover emergency work, sounds made to alert people to an emergency, danger or attempted crime, governmental activities, parades, concerts, festivals and fairs that remain within sound limits approved by the Town, and school athletic, musical or cultural events including practices and rehearsals. The current penalty language was amended on 06/26/25 under Ord. No. 2025-955.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a public nuisance and the violator can be summoned into Magistrate Court by citation or long-form complaint. A first offense is a civil citation with a civil penalty of up to $350. A second offense within a 24-month consecutive period is a civil citation with a civil penalty of up to $600. A third offense in that period, and later offenses, is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a criminal fine of up to $1,000. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the quiet hours in Prescott Valley?
Does the Town need a decibel meter to cite me?
Which noise events are exempt from the section?
What happens after repeated noise violations?
Do businesses in commercial zones follow the same night rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prescott Valley
How Prescott Valley compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Prescott Valley to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Yavapai County handle quiet hours.