Scottsdale, AZ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Scottsdale, AZ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Audibility trigger
- 50+ feet from the vehicle
- Governing section
- Sec. 19-20
- Penalty class
- Misdemeanor via Sec. 1-8
- Key exemptions
- Emergency, utility, permitted parade vehicles
Summary
Scottsdale bans mobile sound amplification between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under Code of Ordinances Sec. 19-20, covering vehicle stereos, radios and PA systems that carry 50 feet or more or that annoy or disturb the quiet of anyone nearby. The curfew targets vehicle-mounted sound, not fixed-property noise, and lists specific exemptions.
(a)Unless the system is being operated to request assistance of an emergency nature or to warn of a hazardous situation, and except as authorized by law, no person shall operate or permit the operation of any mobile sound amplification system between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. which:(1)Can be heard fifty (50) or more feet from the vehicle; or(2)Annoys or disturbs the quiet, comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity.(b)In addition to other specific exemptions authorized by this chapter, subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to:(1)An authorized emergency vehicle as defined in A.R.S. § 28-101.(2)A vehicle operated by a gas, electric, communications or water utility company or a governmental entity or entity operating under the direction of the city or entities operating within the scope of a valid contract, facilities use agreement or written agreement with the city.(3)A vehicle used for advertising in a parade or in a political or other special event permitted by the city.(d)Any person violation this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in section 1-8 of this Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
if it can be heard 50 feet or more from the vehicle or if it annoys or disturbs the quiet, comfort or repose of anyone in the vicinity. Because the trigger is either the 50-foot distance test or the disturbance test, an officer does not need a decibel reading to write a citation; either condition alone is enough. S. Sec. 28-101, vehicles operated by a gas, electric, communications or water utility or a governmental entity (or contractors working under a valid city agreement), and vehicles used for advertising in a parade or a city-permitted political or special event.
Outside those exemptions, the curfew applies citywide with no zoning carve-out, so it reaches Old Town nightlife corridors and residential neighborhoods alike. A separate but related provision, Sec. 19-26, addresses unreasonable noise from businesses that serve alcohol or host live entertainment, so a bar's amplified music is governed by that section rather than Sec. 19-20's vehicle-focused curfew. Anyone cited under Sec. 19-20 is prosecuted as a straight misdemeanor rather than under the alcohol-business civil complaint track used elsewhere in Chapter 19.
Violations & Fines
Violating Sec. 19-20 is a misdemeanor punishable under the Code's general penalty section, Sec. 1-8, which classifies unspecified Code violations as a Class 1 misdemeanor under state law. Sec. 1-8 also treats each day a violation continues as a separate offense, so a nightly repeat of the same mobile sound-amplification conduct can be charged as a new violation each occurrence rather than folded into one citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Scottsdale's nighttime noise curfew cover backyard parties or home stereos?
What has to happen for police to cite someone under this curfew?
Are any vehicles exempt from the Scottsdale sound curfew?
What is the penalty for violating the sound curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
How Scottsdale compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Scottsdale to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle quiet hours.