San Antonio Noise Ordinance: Decibel Limits, Quiet Hours, and Fines

The San Antonio noise ordinance, set out in Chapter 21, Article III of the City Code, limits sound measured at your neighbor’s property line to 63 decibels in residential zones, 70 in business zones, 72 in industrial zones, and 85 in entertainment zones, with a 7-decibel reduction at night for the non-residential categories. Violations are Class C misdemeanors carrying fines from $100 to $2,000, and each day a problem continues counts as a separate offense.¹

Decibel Limits by Zone

The rule ties allowable noise to the zoning classification of the property receiving the sound, not the property producing it. Sound is measured at the adjacent property line under separate ownership, so what counts is how loud the noise is when it crosses onto someone else’s lot.¹

Residential zones: 63 dB(A)
Business zones: 70 dB(A)
Industrial zones: 72 dB(A)
Entertainment zones: 85 dB(A), averaged over a continuous two-hour window using the Leq method

The entertainment zone limit is higher and measured differently. Leq captures the average sound energy across the two hours instead of a single peak, so brief spikes above 85 dB(A) don’t automatically trigger a violation as long as the running average stays within range.¹

Officers take readings with a sound level meter calibrated to American National Standards Institute specifications, using A-weighting unless otherwise specified. Background noise from traffic and aircraft is excluded from the measurement.²

Quiet Hours and the Nighttime Reduction

San Antonio splits the week into daytime and nighttime blocks that shift on weekends:¹

Sunday through Thursday: daytime runs 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; nighttime runs 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Friday and Saturday: daytime runs 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; nighttime runs 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

During nighttime hours, a 7-decibel correction is subtracted from the business, industrial, and entertainment limits. The effective nighttime cap in business zones drops from 70 to 63 dB(A), and industrial zones drop from 72 to 65. The nighttime correction does not apply in the River Walk area.³

Residential zones stay at 63 dB(A) around the clock. There’s no separate residential nighttime reduction because 63 dB(A) already sits at roughly the level of normal conversation.

The 50-Foot Rule for Stereos and Car Audio

Separate from the decibel table, San Antonio prohibits operating any sound amplifier connected to a radio, stereo, CD player, or similar device in a way that makes it plainly audible at 50 feet from the source. The same rule applies if the sound produces noticeable vibration at that distance.⁴

This is a bright-line test. No meter required. An officer who can hear your music from 50 feet away has enough to issue a citation, and it applies to car stereos, outdoor speakers, and indoor systems that bleed into public spaces.

Construction Hours

Construction runs on its own, more restrictive schedule:⁵

Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Construction is banned on six holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Even during approved hours, construction noise cannot exceed 80 dB(A) at the property boundary.¹ Contractors who need to work outside these windows can apply for a waiver through the Development Services Department at least one full business day in advance.⁵

Barking Dogs and Animal Noise

Under Section 21-52, keeping any animal or bird that makes frequent or long-continued noise is classified as a noise nuisance. The ordinance doesn’t specify a number of minutes; the “frequent or long-continued” standard gives officers judgment based on the pattern.¹

In practice, a dog barking nonstop for an extended stretch, or erupting repeatedly across an evening, is the kind of thing that draws citations. A short burst when someone walks past the fence is not what the rule targets.

Vehicle Noise

Texas state law requires every motor vehicle to have a muffler in good working condition, and using a muffler cutout or bypass is illegal.⁶ The San Antonio ordinance separately prohibits exhaust noise from any vehicle not equipped to prevent disturbing or unreasonably loud sound.⁴ A booming car stereo audible from 50 feet is also citable.

There’s a limit that trips people up. The ordinance’s exemption list includes sound produced by a vehicle motor while the vehicle is moving on a public right-of-way, so general engine noise from cars driving down your street falls outside the rule even when it’s loud enough to bother you.²

What’s Exempt

Several categories don’t have to follow the standard decibel or time limits:²

Sirens, alarms, and any sound meant to alert people to an emergency
Motor noise from vehicles moving on a public road, waterway, airport runway, or railway
Sound produced by any government body performing a government function, including city maintenance and utility crews at any hour
Scheduled stadium events for the duration of the event
Permitted parades and outdoor events sponsored or co-sponsored by the city
Cannon fire and gunfire during battle reenactments with a pyrotechnic permit, and fireworks displays approved by the fire marshal

How to Report a Violation

Noise complaints go through the city’s 311 system. You can call 311 or use the SA311 mobile app.⁷ For late-night disturbances that need a faster response, the police non-emergency line is usually more effective.

The city’s noise nuisance procedure recommends asking that an officer be sent to investigate.⁸ When the officer arrives, they may take meter readings at your property line. If the reading exceeds the applicable limit, they can issue a citation on the spot.

One practical reality: noise complaints are hard to enforce because the sound often stops before an officer arrives. Keeping your own recordings, with the date, time, and duration noted, helps establish a pattern if you have to file repeat complaints.

Fines and Penalties

A noise ordinance violation is a Class C misdemeanor. No criminal intent is required, so you can be fined even if you didn’t realize you were too loud.¹

Standard violation: $100 to $500
Intentional or reckless violation: $100 to $2,000, with a minimum of $200 for a second conviction in the same period and $300 for a third or later

Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, so an ongoing problem can rack up penalties quickly. The city can also pursue additional legal remedies beyond fines.

Fighting a Citation

If you want to contest a noise citation, you have to appear in San Antonio Municipal Court on the date and time printed on the ticket.⁹ Missing that date can bring a warrant and additional penalties.

Common defenses include challenging the accuracy of the sound measurement, showing the noise fell within an exempt category, or demonstrating that the reading at the property line was actually within the legal limit. Evidence that background noise from traffic or other excluded sources affected the reading can undermine the city’s case. An attorney familiar with municipal court can help you decide whether contesting is worth the cost.

Landlord Responsibility for Tenant Noise

Under Texas law, landlords owe tenants a covenant of quiet enjoyment. A landlord can be held responsible for disturbances caused by other tenants in the same property, so if the neighbor in your building is generating constant noise and your landlord does nothing, you may have grounds for relief against the landlord. The covenant doesn’t cover noise from strangers or from people who don’t rent from the same landlord.¹⁰

Put your complaints to the landlord in writing. If repeated written requests are ignored, that paper trail becomes your evidence if you later need to pursue legal action or break the lease.

1
City of San Antonio. Chapter 21 Article III Noise
2
NPC Law Library. San Antonio TX Noise Ordinance
3
City of San Antonio. Chapter 21 Article III Noise Working Document
4
City of San Antonio. KWA AAC Noise Ordinance Analysis
5
City of San Antonio. Information Bulletin 244 Construction Noise Ordinance
6
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code TRANSP 547.604 Muffler Required
7
City of San Antonio. 311 Customer Service
8
City of San Antonio. Noise Nuisance Procedure
9
San Antonio Municipal Court. San Antonio Municipal Court Online Services
10
Texas State Law Library. Noise