Texas City, TX Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

The Texas City Code of Ordinances puts its noise rule in § 94.009. Division (A) prohibits the creation of any unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in the city, and bars noises of such character, intensity and duration as are reasonably calculated to be detrimental to the life or health of any ordinarily reasonable person. The section does not apply to conduct prohibited under Tex. Penal Code § 42.01(a)(5), which the code lists as the statutory reference for unreasonable noises.

The only clock times in the noise section appear in two places. Item (B)(1) prohibits playing any radio, phonograph or musical instrument in such manner, or with such volume, particularly during the hours between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., as to create a noise reasonably calculated to disturb a person of ordinary disposition residing in a dwelling or other type of residence in the vicinity. The word particularly matters: the night hours are where the code points its attention, but the standard is disturbance to a nearby resident, and the same music at another hour can still violate the section. Item (B)(12) sets 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays for building work in residential or business districts.

Other items in division (B) that apply at night include the keeping of any animal or bird whose frequent or long continued noise disturbs the comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity (item 2), unreasonable horn use (item 3), and noisy vehicle operation such as spinning or squealing tires (item 4). Item (13) protects streets next to schools, courts and hospitals, but only where conspicuous signs are displayed indicating the street is a school, hospital or court street.

Because the enumeration is not exclusive, the list of prohibited noises is illustrative, and no decibel level is printed in the section.