Leon County, FL Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Leon 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
- Weekday quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Weekend/holiday quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Where it applies
- Unincorporated Leon County only
- Permitted event exemption
- Temporary use permit required
- Maximum fine
- $500 civil infraction per night
Summary
From 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays (10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays), Leon County bars loud loudspeakers and public address systems near residential areas, and bars yelling, shouting or singing loud enough to disturb neighbors, under Sec. 12-56(6) and (7). Both rules apply only outside Tallahassee's city limits.
(6)Loudspeakers, amplifiers, public address systems, and similar devices. The unreasonably loud and raucous use or operation of a loudspeaker, amplifier, public address system, or other device for producing or reproducing sound between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, and 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays in the following areas:a.Within or adjacent to residential or noise-sensitive areas; andb.Within public space if the sound is plainly audible across the real property line of the public space from which the sound emanates, and is unreasonably loud and raucous. This shall not apply to any public performance, gathering, or parade for which a permit has been obtained from a governmental agency with jurisdiction. (7)Yelling, shouting, and similar activities. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, or singing in residential or noise-sensitive areas or in public places between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or at any time or place so as to unreasonably disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
Sec. ' A permitted public performance, gathering or parade is excluded. Sec. ' Sec. 12-57(7) exempts outdoor gatherings, concerts, dances, shows and sporting events that hold a temporary use permit, and Sec. on Friday or Saturday. Both subsections apply only in the county 'lying outside the municipal limits of the City of Tallahassee' under Sec. 12-53. The sheriff's office enforces the quiet hours under Sec. 12-58, seeking voluntary compliance before citing, and Sec. 12-58(b) requires giving a person engaged in protected speech or peaceful assembly a chance to move or disperse before any citation. Sec. 00, with each night of violation a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Amplified sound plainly audible across a property line, or yelling and singing that disturbs neighbors, between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays (10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays) in a residential or noise-sensitive area is a civil infraction under Sec. 12-59, fined up to $500.00 per night. A permitted event or a person engaged in protected speech must first be given a chance to move or disperse under Sec. 12-58(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Leon County's quiet hours?
Can a permitted concert run past 10:00 p.m.?
Does yelling at any hour violate the rule?
What happens if I'm cited for violating quiet hours during a protest?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Leon County
How Leon County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Leon County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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