Noise ordinances › Baton Rouge, LA

Baton Rouge noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: October 21, 2026

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Quiet hours in Baton Rouge

The chapter has no general night-time quiet hours for homes: the loud-and-raucous rule (Sec. 12:100) and the stationary music rule (Sec. 12:101(2)) apply at any hour. Commercially used property: noise exceeding 75 decibels between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., measured by a calibrated sound level meter from the property line of the complainant's property, is a violation (Sec. 12:101(3)); industrially used property is held to 80 decibels at all hours (Sec. 12:101(4)). Construction: creating loud and raucous noise by construction work (including erection, excavation, demolition, alteration or repair of any building) in or adjacent to a residential area is a violation other than between 7:00 a.m. and sunset on weekdays and Saturdays, so the text allows no Sunday window; work of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety needs permission from the director of public works (Sec. 12:101(11)). Loudspeakers and sound amplifiers in a public place or on a public sidewalk, street, alley or highway may not be operated within 150 feet of the property line of a residence except between 8:00 a.m. and sunset, "as designated by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation" (Sec. 12:103(a)(1)). Near schools and courts the loud-and-raucous ban on adjacent streets applies while the school or court is in session, and near hospitals at all times, provided conspicuous signs are posted (Sec. 12:101(12)); loudspeakers may not be used within 150 feet of a hospital, a school that is in session, a nursing home, or an outpatient surgical facility during its hours of operation (Sec. 12:103(a)(4)).

Decibel limits

Yes, numeric limits, for three kinds of source only. Sec. 12:101(3): noise exceeding 75 decibels emitted from any commercially used property between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., "when measured by a calibrated sound level meter from the property line of the complainant's property". Sec. 12:101(4): noise exceeding 80 decibels emitted from any industrially used property, measured the same way, at any hour. Sec. 12:101(5): playing any radio, phonograph, tape, compact disc, musical instrument or other sound device "audible at a distance of greater than twenty-five (25) feet which exceeds eighty-five (85) decibels, from a vehicle, on a public street, highway or public park" in a manner that disturbs people in a residence, in another vehicle or in a public place; that rule names no measuring point or instrument. The chapter names no frequency weighting (A or C) for any of these figures and sets no decibel limit for sound from homes or other residential property. Everything else is judged by ear and by effect: Sec. 12:100 bans "loud and raucous noise" offensive to persons of ordinary sensibilities; Sec. 12:101(2) covers music or other sound from a stationary location played "in such a manner, or with such volume as to disturb the peace, quiet, comfort, or repose of persons" in any dwelling, apartment, hotel or other residence or in any public place; Sec. 12:103(a)(2) bars loudspeakers from emitting "unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring or disturbing noises"; and stationary engines, motor boats and motor vehicles must exhaust through a muffler or other device that effectively and efficiently prevents loud noises (Sec. 12:101(9)-(10)).

What the ordinance actually says

Sec. 12:100: "No person shall make or cause to be made any loud and raucous noise in the parish which is offensive to persons of ordinary sensibilities and which renders the enjoyment of life or property uncomfortable or interferes with public peace and comfort."

Sec. 12:101(2): "The playing of any radio, phonograph, tape, compact disc, musical instrument or any other machine or device capable of producing or reproducing sound from a stationary location in such a manner, or with such volume as to disturb the peace, quiet, comfort, or repose of persons in any dwelling, apartment, hotel, or other type of residence or in any public place."

Sec. 12:101(3): "The making of noise which exceeds seventy-five (75) decibels emitted from any commercially used property, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., when measured by a calibrated sound level meter from the property line of the complainant's property."

Sec. 12:101(5): "The playing of any radio, phonograph, tape, compact disc, musical instrument or any other machine or device capable of producing or reproducing sound, audible at a distance of greater than twenty-five (25) feet which exceeds eighty-five (85) decibels, from a vehicle, on a public street, highway or public park in such a manner, as to disturb the peace, quiet, comfort, or repose of persons in any dwelling, apartment, hotel, or other type of residence; of persons in any other vehicle; or of persons in any public place."

Sec. 12:101(11): "The creation of loud and raucous noise by construction work in or adjacent to a residential area other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and sunset on weekdays and Saturdays, except in the case of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety for which permission must be obtained from the director of public works."

Sec. 12:104(a): "Fine. Whoever violates a provision of this section shall be fined two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a first offense, and not less than three hundred dollars ($300.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for second and subsequent offenses."

Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (Code of Ordinances of the City of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana (one consolidated City-Parish code; there is no separate city noise code, and Sec. 12:100 is written to apply "in the parish"), Title 12 "Nuisances," Chapter 2 "Noise": Sec. 12:100 Noises interfering with enjoyment of property or public peace and comfort; Sec. 12:101 Same—Enumerated; Sec. 12:102 Use of bell, siren, compression, or exhaust whistle on vehicles; Sec. 12:103 Loudspeakers and amplifiers; Sec. 12:104 Penalty; Sec. 12:105 Exceptions (Ord. No. 11697, § 1, adopted March 22, 2000, which repealed former ch. 2 and added the present chapter; amended by Ord. No. 12010, § 1, 5-9-01; Ord. No. 13552, § 1, 4-12-06; Ord. No. 17167, § 1, 9-25-19; Ord. No. 19644, § 1, 10-8-25, which amended Sec. 12:101 and added Sec. 12:105). The chapter's state law references are disturbing the peace, R.S. 14:103, and motor vehicles, R.S. 32:352, 32:353.). Verified against the live code on 2026-10-21. Ordinances get amended — before acting on a specific provision, check the linked official code. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.

How to file a noise complaint in Baton Rouge

The noise chapter does not name an enforcing agency. Baton Rouge Police Department's "Non-Emergency Minor Event" page on brla.gov says: "To request non-emergency police service at locations in the City of Baton Rouge, please dial 225-389-2000. This phone number is staffed 24 hours a day/seven days per week." The same page tells people outside BRPD's jurisdiction (it links a Law Enforcement Patrol Areas Map) to contact their local law enforcement agency, links an online non-emergency report form, and in its contact box lists 225-389-2000 "For non-life-threatening incidents, call from 7am to 11pm", which does not match the 24-hour statement above it; emergencies go to 911. The City-Parish 311 page says to dial 3-1-1 or 225-389-3090 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., to request service online at 311.brla.gov, by email at 311CallCenter@brla.gov or through the Red Stick 311 mobile app, and after hours, weekends and holidays to phone the dispatcher at 225-389-2070 (3 p.m.-11 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. weekends and holidays); its list of common requests (garbage, recycling, drainage, traffic, sewer and animal services) does not mention noise, and it says requests inside Baker and Zachary go to those cities' governments. Under Sec. 12:103(c)-(d), when a loudspeaker violation consists of speech, a gathering or peaceful picketing, the person must first be ordered to move, disperse or remedy it, and that order may be given by a peace officer, a fireman, a person with authority over the premises, or any person directly affected by the violation. Sources: https://www.brla.gov/2862/Non-Emergency-Minor-Event, https://www.brla.gov/3280/_311 and https://www.brla.gov/1129/Code-of-Ordinances.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Baton Rouge. For the general playbook — documenting the problem, talking to a landlord or HOA, when 311 beats 911 — see the noise complaints guide.

Worth knowing

Notable quirks: (1) The decibel rules depend on what the source property is used for, not on where the listener lives: commercially used property is capped at 75 decibels from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and industrially used property at 80 decibels at any time, both measured by a calibrated sound level meter from the complainant's property line (12:101(3)-(4)); music from a house or other stationary location has no number at all and is judged by whether it disturbs the peace, quiet, comfort or repose of people nearby (12:101(2)). (2) The vehicle rule needs three things at once: sound from a vehicle on a public street, highway or public park that is audible beyond 25 feet, exceeds 85 decibels, and disturbs people in a residence, another vehicle or a public place (12:101(5)). (3) The list in Sec. 12:101 is expressly not exclusive, and it reaches beyond sound volume: abusive, indecent, profane or vulgar language in a public place that tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace counts as a loud and raucous noise (12:101(1)), as does the shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors that disturbs residentially zoned areas (12:101(13)). (4) Construction near homes stops at sunset rather than a fixed hour and has no Sunday window; urgent public-safety work needs permission from the director of public works (12:101(11)). (5) Exceptions (12:105): unamplified sound from a ballpark, playing field, stadium or comparable outdoor facility during organized exhibitions or participatory sports or recreational activities; and events of an entertainment or recreational nature held under a temporary City-Parish special permit are exempt from the prohibitions of Sec. 12:101(3), the commercial-property night limit, provided noise is otherwise regulated in supervising the activity, and the permit may be revoked for excessive or inappropriate noise. (6) The penalty section speaks of violating "a provision of this section": $200 for a first offense and $300 to $500 for later ones, and on conviction the court may order the surrender of the driver's license of the driver involved, for up to 30 days on a first offense and 30 to 90 days on a later one, with the violator responsible for retrieving it (12:104(a)-(b)). (7) Loudspeakers in public places: banned within 150 feet of a residence except 8:00 a.m. to sunset, within 150 feet of a hospital, a school in session, a nursing home or an outpatient surgical facility during its hours, and wherever they cause traffic congestion or crowds that obstruct a sidewalk or street (12:103(a)); speech, gatherings and peaceful picketing must first get an order to move, disperse or remedy the violation, and it is a defense that no required order was given, that it was manifestly unreasonable in scope or promptly obeyed, that the loudspeaker was inside an enclosed structure and not audible beyond the property line, or that it was used by police or fire personnel on duty, to warn of an emergency or danger, or for emergency repair work after a fire, accident or natural disaster (12:103(c)-(e)). (8) Vehicles may not carry or use a bell, siren, compression or exhaust whistle except those of law enforcement, fire department, emergency medical services and ambulances (12:102); horns may sound only as a danger signal as required by state law (12:101(6)); vehicles so out of repair or so loaded that they make loud grating, grinding or rattling noise are a violation (12:101(7)); a stationary boiler's steam whistle may blow only to mark the start or end of work or warn of danger (12:101(8)); and stationary engines, motor boats and motor vehicles must exhaust through an effective muffler (12:101(9)-(10)). (9) The street rule near schools, courts and hospitals applies only where conspicuous signs say those buildings are adjacent (12:101(12)).

Document it before you report it

Baton Rouge's limits are measured numbers, so a reading is direct evidence of how loud it really is. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and check how loud your block is on the Baton Rouge noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.