Decibel Shield
Noise complaints › Hillsborough County
How to file a noise complaint in Hillsborough County
In unincorporated Hillsborough County, call the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line, 813-247-8200, for a party, loud music or other noise happening now, and 911 for an emergency. The Sheriff's Communications Bureau answers those calls for the unincorporated area 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, though its pages do not mention noise.
Last updated:
Documenting this? A dated log of when the noise started, when it stopped and how loud it got is what Hillsborough County acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.
| Quiet hours | No County quiet hours; construction exempt 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; EPC nights 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. |
|---|---|
| How it is enforced | Decibel limits for some noise, other tests for the rest |
| Emergencies | 911 |
| Ordinance | Hillsborough County Code Chapter 36 (Noise divisions) and EPC Rule Chapter 1-10 |
Where to file in Hillsborough County
In unincorporated Hillsborough County, call the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line, 813-247-8200, for a party, loud music or other noise happening now, and 911 for an emergency. The Sheriff's Communications Bureau answers those calls for the unincorporated area 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, though its pages do not mention noise. EPC's Noise Program page says "EPC is not a first responder" and that anyone seeking immediate relief from an active noise issue should contact the law enforcement office for where they live, and it lists the County's noise ordinance among the rules enforced by law enforcement; County Code Enforcement's list of the codes it enforces has no noise entry. For noise from a commercial or industrial source anywhere in the county, call EPC's noise monitoring team at 813-627-2600 and be ready to describe the source; EPC takes anonymous complaints due to safety concerns but says that may limit its investigation. Noise from a home is exempt from EPC's rule (Rule 1-10.04(5)), so in unincorporated areas it stays with the Sheriff's Office. For a nuisance animal in unincorporated areas, Animal Control is (813) 744-5660 or AnimalControl@HCFLGov.net: the County needs notarized affidavits from two unrelated people at different locations within 1,000 feet of the noise, or one affidavit with a recording, and the affidavits go by mail or in person to 2709 E Hanna Ave, Tampa, FL 33610. The complaint cannot be anonymous and anyone submitting an affidavit is required to appear in court. Sec. 36-436(b) expects animal control officers to lead during regular business hours (7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday) and Sheriff's deputies after hours. Inside Tampa, Plant City or Temple Terrace, contact that city's police, because EPC's page says each municipality has its own noise rules enforced by law enforcement (see the Tampa page). A violation of the Noise Control Ordinance can bring a fine of up to $500, up to 60 days in the County jail, or both, and each occurrence, or each day of a continuing violation, is a separate offense (Sec. 36-437). A car stereo citation is a $150 civil penalty (Sec. 36-486(a)). EPC's Rule Chapter 1-10 states no fine or other penalty of its own, and the EPC Act was not read for this page, so no EPC penalty is given here. Sources: https://www.teamhcso.com/Section/15d512fe-613b-4db1-b722-35da1f5d8b3a/Communications-Bureau, https://www.epchc.org/divisions/air/noise-program, https://www.epchc.org/home/showpublisheddocument/2981/638617476083430000, https://hcfl.gov/residents/animals-and-pets/pet-related-ordinances-and-citations/report-a-nuisance-animal-for-noise and https://hcfl.gov/residents/property-owners-and-renters/code-violations/codes-we-enforce.
From the county's official pages and code, verified 2026-11-04. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the county's main switchboard can redirect you.
Before you call
- Log it. Date, start and end time, what the noise was and where you heard it from. Three dated entries carry more weight than one angry call.
- Measure it if you can. Hillsborough County sets measured limits for some noise, so a reading can help, and a dated log counts either way. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
- Check the rule. Quiet hours in Hillsborough County: No County quiet hours; construction exempt 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; EPC nights 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The Hillsborough County noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
- Try the source once. A neighbour, landlord or venue manager often fixes it faster than the county does, and telling them first strengthens a later complaint.
What happens after you file
Noise reports often wait behind urgent calls, so a first call may not end the noise that night. What it does is start a record against the address. Repeated reports, a dated log and a reading are what move a case from a warning to a citation. Where the county needs an officer to witness the noise, as most audibility rules require, file while it is happening rather than the next morning.
How loud is it nearby? The Tampa noise map shows the federal transportation-noise data for every neighbourhood, and the apartment quiet hours page compares every city's night rule.
Who do I call for a noise complaint in Hillsborough County?
In unincorporated Hillsborough County, call the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line, 813-247-8200, for a party, loud music or other noise happening now, and 911 for an emergency.
What are the quiet hours in Hillsborough County?
No County quiet hours; construction exempt 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; EPC nights 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Hillsborough County noise ordinance page.
Should I call 911 for noise in Hillsborough County?
Only if there is danger, a threat or a crime in progress. For ongoing noise use the non-emergency police line or the department named above; repeated calls build an official record tied to the address, which is what code enforcement acts on.
What evidence helps a noise complaint in Hillsborough County?
Hillsborough County uses decibel limits for some noise and other tests for the rest, so keep a dated log and take readings when you can; the rules above say which applies.
This page is a plain-language guide to the reporting route, not legal advice. Ordinances and contact numbers get amended; check the linked official sources before relying on a specific provision.
