Noise ordinances › Hillsborough County, FL

Hillsborough County noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: November 4, 2026

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Quiet hours in Hillsborough County

The County's Noise Control Ordinance sets no quiet hours: a noise disturbance is banned at any time (Sec. 36-434). Its one clock is for construction: construction with all County permits, or exempt from them, is exempt from the ordinance only if it occurs between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. (Sec. 36-435(12)); work on utilities, bridges, streets, highways or railroads is exempt with no hours stated (Sec. 36-435(1)). The 50-foot car stereo rule (Sec. 36-484) and the 20-minute nuisance animal rule (Sec. 36-436) name no time of day. The clocks in the second layer come from Rule Chapter 1-10 of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC), which covers stationary sources such as businesses and industry, not homes. The limit at residential property drops from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Rule 1-10.03(2)) and the octave band limits drop from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Rule 1-10.03(3)). Construction with all County or municipal permits, or exempt from them, is exempt from the rule between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. if reasonable precautions are taken to abate the noise (Rule 1-10.04(13)). Commercial motorized lawn, garden or other outdoor maintenance equipment is exempt between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. (Rule 1-10.04(6)). East Bay Raceway has its own clock (Rule 1-10.05(4)): regular season Friday and Saturday races end by 11:30 p.m., with 30 more minutes for delays; its annual race event, at most six consecutive weeks, ends by 10:30 p.m., with one more hour for delays; Sunday races are emergency make-ups only, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace have their own noise rules (see the Tampa page for that city's hours).

Decibel limits

Two layers, two answers. The County's Noise Control Ordinance sets no decibel limit for any source in unincorporated Hillsborough County: it bans a "noise disturbance", and car stereos are judged by ear at 50 feet. The decibel numbers come from Rule Chapter 1-10 of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC). Its limits depend on the land receiving the sound (Rule 1-10.03(2)): residential 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 55 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; commercial 65 dBA at all times; industrial 70 dBA at all times. County layer: a "noise disturbance" is any sound that injures or endangers human or animal health or property, is unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing or a nuisance to a reasonable person of ordinary sensibility, or disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighborhood (Sec. 36-430). Sound from a device in or on a vehicle is unreasonably excessive when it is plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet or more, an officer detects it mainly with the officer's ordinary hearing, and a rhythmic bass sound is enough (Secs. 36-483(e), 36-484). EPC layer: the rule is meant to regulate noise "originating from stationary sources and traveling outdoors to other receiving properties" (Rule 1-10.00). A stationary source is a facility or activity at a fixed location; that includes all commercial and industrial facilities but is not limited to them (Rule 1-10.01(2)(u)). EPC's Noise Program page puts it this way: "EPC regulates noise from industrial and commercial sources throughout the county through the EPC Ch. 1-10, Noise Pollution Rule, including the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace." Every limit is measured with a sound level meter as an Leq over 10 minutes (the steady level that carries the same sound energy as the actual sound over that time), so short peaks can run above it, at or within the property line of the receiving land (Rule 1-10.03(1)). The meter must be Type 1 (Rule 1-10.01(2)(q)). For residences or other sleeping accommodations on agricultural or park land, the measuring point is no more than 150 feet from the building (Rule 1-10.03(1)). Residential property means property designed for people to live and sleep, including homes, mobile home plots, hospitals, shelters, schools, nursing homes and parks with sleeping accommodations; hotels and motels count as commercial (Rule 1-10.01(2)(c), (m)). For any source of sound reaching residential property the rule adds octave band limits, also as a 10-minute Leq (Rule 1-10.03(3)): from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., 70 dB at 63 Hz, 64 dB at 125 Hz and 57 dB at 250 Hz; from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., 65 dB, 59 dB and 53 dB. Racing at East Bay Raceway may not exceed 78 dBA as an Lmax (the maximum level) at or within receiving residential property; other competitive motor vehicle facilities face the standard limits (Rule 1-10.05(1)). Exempt from the rule and from EPC's noise nuisance laws, though still subject to any other law (Rule 1-10.04): (1) emergency alerts and emergency response, including training; (2) the unamplified human voice; (3) unamplified animal sounds; (4) agricultural operations on land classified or zoned for agriculture, including agritourism; (5) sound from within a residential structure and its appurtenances, such as a yard, garage, patio, air conditioner or pool pump, and the sounds of running and maintaining a home, including lawn care, home repair and refuse collection; (6) commercial motorized lawn, garden or other outdoor maintenance equipment from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; (7) sounds at places of religious worship related to those activities; (8) events directly related to holidays, government-authorized parades and festivals, competitive sporting events and public fairs, but not concerts at the Amphitheatre during the Florida State Fair; (9) mobile sources: motor vehicles and their stereos, remote control devices, trains, ships, personal watercraft, aircraft and portable sound systems for personal entertainment, but not racing vehicles and venues or the sounds of unloading non-watercraft vehicles; (10) common carrier stations such as bus and train stations, docks and airports; (11) shooting ranges, firearm discharge and paintball shooting sounds; (12) government transportation projects and facilities; (13) permitted construction in the hours above, with reasonable precautions; (14) music or other entertainment from two mapped areas of Tampa; (15) normal use of public athletic facilities and public or private school grounds; (16) generators during testing, maintenance, emergencies or power failures, generators for homes, and generators for hospitals, nursing homes, critical care facilities, government utilities and other critical government infrastructure. Other commercial or industrial generators must comply.

What the ordinance actually says

Sec. 36-433: "This division applies to the control of all sound originating within the jurisdictional limits of unincorporated Hillsborough County."

Sec. 36-434: "No person shall make, continue, or knowingly permit to be made or continued any noise disturbance."

Sec. 36-430: "Noise disturbance means any sound which: (1) Injuries or endangers human or animal health or property; (2) Is unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing or a nuisance to a reasonable person of ordinary sensibility; or (3) Disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighborhood and the vicinity thereof."

Sec. 36-435(12): "Construction activity for which the County has issued all applicable permits, or which is exempt from County permits, provided such activity occurs between 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m."

Sec. 36-436(a): "For the purposes of this Section, persistently or continuously shall mean nonstop utterances for 20 consecutive minutes with individual interruptions of less than 20 seconds at a time during the 20 minute utterances."

Sec. 36-437(a): "Pursuant to F.S. § 125.69, a person who violates any provision of this division shall be subject to prosecution in the name of the state in the same manner as misdemeanors are prosecuted and, upon conviction, such person shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00 or by imprisonment in the County jail not to exceed 60 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment."

Sec. 36-438: "Likewise, said provisions shall be interpreted so as to not conflict with, but be supplemental to, any prohibitions or requirements delineated pursuant to law, rule, or regulation of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County or other governmental agency charged with jurisdiction relative to prohibited noises."

Sec. 36-484: "Sound is "unreasonably excessive" when it is plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet or more from the motor vehicle."

EPC Rule 1-10.00: "Chapter 1-10 is intended to regulate noise pollution originating from stationary sources and traveling outdoors to other receiving properties."

EPC Rule 1-10.03(1): "Sound levels which exceed the limits set forth in this rule for the receiving land when measured at or within the property line of the receiving land" and later "are a violation of this rule."

EPC Rule 1-10.03(4): "If the same type of violation continues after the property owner is notified by the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) or a law enforcement officer, then the property owner, even if he or she did not generate sound, will be deemed to have allowed the violation to continue and must comply with this rule."

EPC Rule 1-10.04(13): "Construction activity for which the County or municipality has issued all applicable permits, or which is exempt from County or municipality permits, provided such activity occurs between 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. and reasonable precautions are taken to abate the noise pollution generated from those activities."

EPC Rule 1-10.04(14): "Sound related to music or other entertainment originating from the areas delineated in the two maps below which are incorporated as part of this subsection."

Quoted verbatim from the official text (Hillsborough County Code Chapter 36 (Noise divisions) and EPC Rule Chapter 1-10, two separate layers. Hillsborough County Code of Ordinances, Part A, on Municode, version dated Sep 4, 2026: Chapter 36 (Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions), Article VI (Offenses Involving Public Peace and Order), Division 2 (Noise), Secs. 36-429 to 36-439, the "Hillsborough County Noise Control Ordinance" (Ord. No. 12-12, 6-27-2012; Ord. No. 17-10, § 2, 5-4-2017); Division 3 (Special Events), Secs. 36-454 to 36-467 (Ord. No. 12-13, 6-27-2012); Division 4 (Motor Vehicle Noise), Secs. 36-481 to 36-487 (Ord. No. 14-6, 5-1-2014). Rules of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC), Chapter 1-10, Noise Pollution, Rules 1-10.00 to 1-10.08, read in EPC's PDF: adopted 6/10/1976 and last amended 10/19/2023, effective 10/20/2023, per its rule history, under the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Act (EPC Act), Chapter 84-446, Laws of Florida. Text read 2026-11-04.). Verified against the live code on 2026-11-04. 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 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.

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

Worth knowing

(1) Jurisdiction: two layers cover different things. The County's Noise Control Ordinance covers all sound originating in unincorporated Hillsborough County (Sec. 36-433), whatever the source, including homes. EPC's Noise Pollution Rule covers stationary sources, including all commercial and industrial facilities, throughout the county, inside and outside cities, and exempts sound from homes and their yards (Rule 1-10.04(5)). EPC describes its jurisdiction as concurrent with agencies that enforce county or city noise ordinances, and Sec. 36-438 says the County ordinance is supplemental to EPC's rules, so a business in an unincorporated area can fall under both. An exemption from EPC's rule does not excuse a source from any other law (Rule 1-10.04). The City of Tampa is a separate jurisdiction with its own noise ordinance (see the Tampa page), and Plant City and Temple Terrace have their own rules. (2) Exempt from the County ordinance (Sec. 36-435): construction, maintenance or repair of utility infrastructure, bridges, streets, highways or railroads; lawful sirens and railroad sounds; activities at County athletic facilities and on school grounds; lawful firearm discharge; religious sounds if not unreasonably loud; intermittent barking and other domesticated animal sounds if not unreasonably loud, except as Sec. 36-436 prohibits; animals on agricultural land and nondomesticated animals; EPC-authorized competitive motor vehicle events; Florida State Fair Authority property; motor vehicles subject to Florida Statutes Chapter 316; phosphate mining sounds regulated by EPC; and agricultural land exempt under F.S. § 823.14. (3) Nuisance animals (Sec. 36-436): the rule applies when an animal makes sound nonstop for 20 minutes or longer, with breaks under 20 seconds, and is not in an enclosure that baffles the noise. It does not apply to land zoned for agriculture, permitted shelters, or properly zoned commercial kennels. Each occasion is a separate violation. A charge needs sworn affidavits from at least two unrelated adult witnesses from different residences, or one adult witness with a recorded video, all within a 1,000 foot radius, or an officer or deputy who witnessed it. The code says video where the County's page says a recording of the sound, and the code controls. Because Sec. 36-433 limits the division to unincorporated areas, this rule stops at city limits, even though Animal Control investigates domestic animal complaints countywide. (4) Car stereos (Secs. 36-483 to 36-486): the officer needs a direct line of sight and hearing and need not identify the words or song. A citation that is neither paid nor contested can become a judgment for the maximum civil penalty of $500 plus fees and costs. Horns, sirens and alarms regulated by Chapter 316 are not covered (Sec. 36-485). (5) Special events: an outdoor assembly of 200 or more people a day on private property in an unincorporated area needs a County permit, applied for at least 35 days ahead unless the Administrator accepts less, and must show that noise will not have a negative impact on the surrounding area (Secs. 36-455, 36-456, 36-459). Only one event is allowed on any area of land in 365 days, for up to seven consecutive days. County-sponsored events and events at the Florida State Fairgrounds are outside this division (Sec. 36-464). (6) Tampa music exemption: Rule 1-10.04(14) exempts music and other entertainment from two mapped areas of Tampa from EPC's rule; the rule's history shows that section last amended October 19, 2023, effective October 20, 2023. Map 1 is the Midtown area, inside I-275, Himes Avenue, Cypress Street and Dale Mabry Avenue. Map 2 is the Ybor City Historic District plus the area from its western border west along Palm Avenue to North Boulevard, south to the Hillsborough River, along the river to the Garrison Channel and the Ybor Channel, and north to East Adamo Drive. Where a map's written description and its outline differ, the outline controls. Tampa's own noise rules still apply there (Rule 1-10.04; see the Tampa page). (7) Racing: a racing facility files an EPC form before construction, alteration or expansion and every year by November 1, and a new or changed track needs a written demonstration with modeling by an acoustical expert, approved by EPC's Executive Director (Rule 1-10.05(2), (3)). If East Bay Raceway adds a new racing event, or builds, expands or relocates a track, that falls under the standard limits (Rule 1-10.05(1)(c)). An EPC-authorized event is exempt from the County ordinance (Sec. 36-435(8)). (8) Property owners: if the same type of violation continues after EPC or a law enforcement officer notifies the property owner, the owner is deemed to have allowed it, even if someone else made the sound (Rule 1-10.03(4)). (9) Variances: anyone may apply for a waiver or variance from all or part of the EPC rule under Sec. 1-2.50 of EPC's rules (Rule 1-10.06). The County ordinance has no variance section. (10) Meters: EPC's rule calls for a Type 1 sound level meter, so a phone reading can support a complaint but is not the measurement the rule describes. The County ordinance does not use readings at all. (11) EPC's Noise Program page is a summary, and the rule controls. The page's construction line leaves out the permit condition in Rule 1-10.04(13); it says commercial lawn care where Rule 1-10.04(6) covers motorized lawn, garden or other outdoor maintenance equipment; and its mobile source line leaves out the exceptions for racing and unloading in Rule 1-10.04(9). (12) The County's nuisance animal page dates the ordinance to May 3, 2017; the code's history note says Ord. No. 17-10, May 4, 2017.

Document it before you report it

Some of Hillsborough County's limits are measured numbers, so a reading can help, and a dated log counts either way. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and see the nearest city we map, on the Tampa noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.