City of Austin Noise Ordinance: Limits, Permits, and Complaints

The Austin noise ordinance, set out in Title 9, Chapter 9-2 of the city code, limits residential sound to 75 decibels at the property line and business sound to 85 decibels during permitted hours, with stricter audibility rules overnight and separate permit requirements for outdoor music venues. Which rule applies depends on where the sound comes from, when it happens, and whether the property sits inside one of the downtown entertainment districts.

Residential Sound Limits

Section 9-2-5 caps sound equipment on residential property at 75 decibels measured beyond the property line, at any hour.¹ For rough comparison, 75 decibels is about the level of a vacuum cleaner or a loud conversation heard from a few feet away. The cap applies at 2:00 in the afternoon just as it does at midnight.

A tighter rule takes over between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. During those hours, sound equipment on residential property cannot be audible at all beyond the property line.² There is no decibel number attached to this overnight window. If a neighbor or an officer can hear the sound from across the line, it violates the ordinance.

Business and Commercial Sound Limits

Businesses operate under a more generous framework. Section 9-2-4 allows sound equipment at a business to reach 85 decibels between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., measured at the business’s property line.¹ From 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., the same audibility rule used for residential property applies: no sound audible at the property line.

Section 9-2-3 layers on a second restriction. Between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., no one may play a musical instrument or produce noise audible to an adjacent business or residence.¹ This covers unamplified sound, so an acoustic performer on a patio can trigger a violation after 10:30 p.m. even without a speaker.

The ordinance defines noise as sound that either exceeds the permitted levels or “disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensibilities.”¹ That second prong gives officers discretion when a decibel reading falls under the cap. A repetitive bass thump at 70 decibels that rattles windows at 1:00 a.m. can still be treated as a violation.

The Sixth Street and Warehouse Districts

Two downtown areas get special treatment. The Sixth Street District covers the area from IH-35 west to Congress Avenue between Fifth and Seventh Streets. The Warehouse District has its own defined boundaries nearby. Outdoor music venues in either district with an occupancy of 600 or fewer people may run sound equipment at up to 85 decibels from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.¹

The decibel level matches the general business cap, but the practical difference is the late-night window. Outdoor Music Venue permits elsewhere in Austin end at midnight on the latest permitted nights, while permits in these districts can extend to 2:00 a.m. If you live in or near Sixth Street, the noise environment after midnight is legally sanctioned, and complaints about permitted venues staying within their decibel limits are unlikely to produce enforcement action.

Outdoor Music Venue Permits

Any commercial establishment that uses sound equipment outdoors, meaning in a space not fully enclosed by four solid walls and a roof, must hold an Outdoor Music Venue (OMV) permit.³ Permitted hours by day of week are:

Monday through Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to midnight

Those hours contract for venues within 600 feet of property that is both zoned and used as residential. In that case, the maximum is Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.³ A venue near homes can apply for up to two additional hours per day, but only with written support from nearby property owners, tenants, and neighborhood organizations. Austin will not issue an OMV permit at all for sound equipment located within 100 feet of residential property.

One-time events and small gatherings use a different permit. The Temporary Use of Outdoor Sound Equipment permit covers one-time events at commercial properties, along with any event of fewer than 50 people held at a space not normally used for that purpose.⁴ Both permits are reviewed by the Development Services Department’s Entertainment Services Group, and applications go to soundpermits@austintexas.gov.²

Construction and Mechanical Equipment

Construction has its own rules. Section 9-2-3 bars operating heavy machinery that handles sand, rock, or gravel within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.¹ Outside those hours, this work can go forward without a special permit.

Downtown concrete work follows a separate permitting track. A contractor pouring, delivering, or finishing concrete between 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. (or up to 6:00 a.m. in special circumstances) within the downtown density bonus area and within 600 feet of residences or other sensitive sites must obtain a permit under Section 9-2-21 and submit a sound and light mitigation plan.¹ Concrete finishing on its own, without pouring or delivery, is allowed from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. without the permit.

Mechanical equipment such as HVAC units and generators is capped at 70 decibels at all times.

Vehicles and Watercraft

Car stereos and boats fall under the ordinance too. Section 9-2-3 prohibits sound equipment in a vehicle from being audible or causing a vibration 30 feet from the equipment. For watercraft, the distance is 100 feet.¹ These limits run around the clock. A car with the bass rattling windows half a block away violates the code at noon just as it does at midnight.

Filing a Noise Complaint

The main channel for reporting a violation is Austin 3-1-1, which accepts complaints online, through the mobile app, or by dialing 3-1-1 (or 512-974-2000 from outside the area).⁵ Include the exact address of the source and as much detail as possible about the type and timing of the sound. Vague reports are harder to act on.

Expect a slow response. Complaints go to Austin Police, and officers treat them as low-priority calls. They may not arrive before the noise stops, particularly late at night. If the situation involves a safety concern, call the police non-emergency line at 512-974-2000 directly rather than routing through 3-1-1.⁶ For genuine emergencies, call 911.

When an officer does respond, they can take a decibel reading to determine whether the sound exceeds the legal limit. A reading that confirms a violation supports a citation on the spot, and that evidence becomes the foundation for any legal action.

Penalties and Contesting a Citation

A noise ordinance violation is a Class C misdemeanor, the lowest criminal classification in Texas. A first offense carries a fine of up to $500 plus court costs, with no jail time.⁷ Repeat offenders face sharper penalties. A person convicted of three qualifying offenses within a specified timeframe can be fined up to $2,000 and jailed for up to 180 days.

A citation can be contested in Austin Municipal Court, which handles Class C misdemeanor city code violations, and a defendant found guilty after trial can appeal to a higher court.⁷ If you contest, the person who filed the original complaint may be required to appear as a witness. For a venue operator, a citation can also draw scrutiny to an existing sound permit, so a pattern of violations creates risk well beyond the immediate fine.

1
Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound
2
AustinTexas.gov. Outdoor Amplified Sound
3
AustinTexas.gov. Outdoor Music Venue Permits
4
City of Austin. Temporary Use of Outdoor Sound Equipment Permit
5
AustinTexas.gov. Submit a 3-1-1 Request
6
Austin 3-1-1. Austin 3-1-1
7
AustinTexas.gov. File a Citizen Complaint