Tuscaloosa, AL Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Tuscaloosa, AL, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Tuscaloosa City Code Sec. 10.8-13 (Ch. 10.8, Art. II)
- Night limit
- 65 dB(A) from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (post-2018)
- Day limit
- 75 dB(A) from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (post-2018)
- Measured at
- Property line or bordering public street/right-of-way
- Penalty
- Up to $500 and/or 6 months (Ala. Code 11-45-9)
Summary
Tuscaloosa's noise code (City Code Ch. 10.8, Art. II, Sec. 10.8-13) sets a lower nighttime decibel ceiling in residential districts from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. In 2018 the City Council lowered the limits, so the nighttime cap is 65 dB(A) and the daytime cap is 75 dB(A), measured at the property line.
It shall be unlawful for any person to use, operate or permit to be used or operated any device, radio, musical instrument, television, phonograph, drum, sound-amplifying equipment or device which produces or reproduces sound either stationary or mobile, in such a manner so as to create any sounds or noise which exceeds [the daytime limit] during the hours of 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. or which exceeds [the nighttime limit] from 9:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. at any property line within a residential district or upon any public street or right-of-way within or bordering upon any residential district within the corporate limits of the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102).
Full Breakdown
8, Article II). ' The limit is measured at any property line within a residential district, or on any public street or right-of-way within or bordering a residential district inside the city limits. The ordinance as originally adopted (Ord. No. 3297, 1991) set 80 dB(A) day and 75 dB(A) night, but on June 26, 2018 the City Council voted to lower the thresholds; the current limits are 75 dB(A) during the day and 65 dB(A) at night. A 'residential district' tracks the city's Zoning Ordinance, covering single-family (R-1 to R-4), multi-family (RMF) and mobile-home (RMH) districts. Anyone who creates the noise, or permits it on premises under their care, custody or control, is presumed responsible (Sec. 8-13(c)).
Violations & Fines
Noise violations are prosecuted in Tuscaloosa Municipal Court. Under Alabama Code Section 11-45-9, a municipal ordinance violation carries a fine of up to $500 and/or up to six months of imprisonment or hard labor, a cap the city's court confirms applies to ordinance charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Tuscaloosa's nighttime noise limits?
Who is responsible for a loud party?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tuscaloosa
How Tuscaloosa compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Tuscaloosa to another location·View the Alabama noise ordinances overview
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