The Austin noise ordinance, set out in Chapter 9-2 of the city code, caps sound from residential property at 75 decibels at the property line and sound from businesses at 85 decibels during permitted hours, with a stricter overnight rule that bars sound from being audible beyond the property line at all. Violations are Class C misdemeanors carrying fines of up to $500 for a first offense. The specific limits that apply to your situation depend on where the sound is coming from, what time it is, and whether the property sits inside one of the downtown entertainment districts.
Residential Sound Limits
Under Section 9-2-5, sound equipment on residential property cannot produce noise above 75 decibels as measured beyond the property line, at any hour.1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound That is roughly the volume of a vacuum cleaner or a loud conversation from a few feet away. The cap applies around the clock, so backyard speakers at 2:00 in the afternoon still cannot cross that threshold at the line.
Between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., the rule tightens. During those hours, sound equipment on residential property cannot be audible beyond the property line at all.2AustinTexas.gov. Outdoor Amplified Sound There is no decibel number attached to the overnight window. If a neighbor or responding officer can hear the sound from across the line, it violates the ordinance regardless of how quiet it feels at the source.
Business and Commercial Sound Limits
Businesses work under a separate framework. Section 9-2-4 allows sound equipment at a business to produce up to 85 decibels between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., measured at the property line.1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound From 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., sound from the business cannot be audible at the property line at all, mirroring the overnight residential rule.
A second restriction, in Section 9-2-3, prohibits playing a musical instrument or making noise audible to an adjacent business or residence between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound This one is not limited to amplified sound. An acoustic guitarist on a patio can trigger a violation if the sound carries after 10:30 p.m.
The ordinance defines noise as sound that either exceeds the permitted level or “disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensibilities.”1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound That second prong gives officers room to act even when a decibel reading comes in 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.
Outdoor Music Venues and Downtown Districts
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.3AustinTexas.gov. Outdoor Music Venue Permits Permitted hours run from 10:00 a.m. to as late as midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, with earlier cutoffs the rest of the week. Those hours shrink for venues within 600 feet of property that is both zoned and used as residential, where the latest allowable end time is 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The city will not issue an OMV permit at all for sound equipment located within 100 feet of residential property.
Two downtown areas operate under their own rules. The Sixth Street District runs from IH-35 west to Congress Avenue between Fifth and Seventh Streets, and the Warehouse District has its own defined boundaries nearby. Outdoor music venues in either district with an occupancy capacity of 600 or fewer can operate sound equipment at up to 85 decibels between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m.1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound For residents living in or near those blocks, the practical effect is that noise from permitted venues after midnight is legally sanctioned, and complaints about venues operating within their decibel limits during those hours are unlikely to lead to enforcement.
Construction, Equipment, and Vehicles
Construction has its own schedule. Under Section 9-2-3, operating heavy machinery that handles sand, rock, or gravel within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel is prohibited between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound Concrete work downtown has a separate permitting process under Section 9-2-21 for pours or deliveries between 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. within the downtown density bonus area near sensitive sites. Concrete finishing by itself, without pouring or delivery, is allowed from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. without that permit. Mechanical equipment such as HVAC units and generators faces a flat 70-decibel limit at all times.
Vehicles and watercraft fall under Section 9-2-3 as well. Sound equipment in a vehicle cannot be audible or cause a vibration at a distance of 30 feet from the equipment. For watercraft, the distance extends to 100 feet.1Nonoise.org. City of Austin Chapter 9-2 – Noise and Amplified Sound These limits apply at all hours. 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).4AustinTexas.gov. Submit a 3-1-1 Request Include the exact address of the noise source and specifics about the type and timing of the sound. Vague reports are harder to act on.
Set expectations about response. Noise complaints routed through 3-1-1 go to Austin Police as low-priority calls, and officers may not arrive before the noise stops, particularly late at night. If a safety concern or possible criminal activity is involved, call the police non-emergency line at 512-974-2000 directly.5Austin 3-1-1. Austin 3-1-1 For emergencies, call 911. When an officer does respond, they can take a decibel reading, and if it confirms a violation they can issue a citation on the spot.
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.6AustinTexas.gov. File a Citizen Complaint 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.
Citations can be contested in Austin Municipal Court, which handles Class C misdemeanor city code violations. A defendant found guilty after trial can appeal to a higher court.6AustinTexas.gov. File a Citizen Complaint If you contest the charge, the person who filed the original complaint may need to appear as a witness. For venue operators, a citation can also prompt scrutiny of an existing sound permit, so a pattern of violations carries risk beyond the immediate fine.