Noise ordinances › Pinellas County, FL

Pinellas County noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: November 4, 2026

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Quiet hours in Pinellas County

Quiet hours are defined as the period before 7 a.m. or after 11 p.m., Monday through Sunday, and may be altered by ordinance based on the activity (Sec. 58-441). In those hours the limit in a residential zone falls from 72 dBA to 55 dBA (Sec. 58-451(a), (b)), and in a multifamily building from 55 dBA to 40 dBA measured from a neighbor's dwelling (Sec. 58-451(d)). In quiet hours within a residential zone, loading and unloading of boxes, equipment, garbage cans and similar objects, and running mechanical equipment that disturbs a reasonable person, are presumed violations if they meet the loud and raucous definition and can be heard across the property line (Sec. 58-445(4), (6)). Construction has a wider clock: from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday, construction activities may not produce noise above 55 dBA at the nearest property line of an adjacent residential area (Sec. 58-449(b)), and the erection, excavating, demolition, alteration or repair of any building in those hours is prohibited outright, except in case of urgent necessity in the interest of public health and safety and if permitted by the Housing Official (Sec. 58-449(c)). Commercial and industrial noise has the same clock: 55 dBA at the nearest adjacent residentially zoned property line from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and during all hours of Sunday (Sec. 58-450(a)). Parks: 55 dBA from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., daily (Sec. 58-453). The County's short-term rental page gives different hours for those rentals: it says quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day (the rental ordinance itself was not read).

Decibel limits

Yes. Article XII uses A-weighted decibels (dBA), read on a sound level meter meeting at least the type 2 requirements of ANSI Standard S1-4, at slow response (fast for vehicles), and a measurement must be at least 5 dB above the ambient noise level (Sec. 58-441). Residential zones: 72 dBA from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 55 dBA during quiet hours, measured at the nearest adjacent property line (Sec. 58-451(a), (b)). Air conditioning, heating or ventilating units: 60 dBA at any time at the nearest adjacent property line (Sec. 58-451(c)). Multifamily dwelling units: 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 40 dBA from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., daily, measured from a neighbor's dwelling (Sec. 58-451(d)). Industrial and commercial zones, measured on the adjacent property line (Sec. 58-450(a), Table 2): noise from an industrial zone may reach 72 dBA at an adjoining commercial or industrial zone, with no time limit, and 66 dBA at an adjoining residential zone from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday; noise from a commercial zone may reach 66 dBA and 60 dBA. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and during all hours of Sunday, the limit at the nearest adjacent residentially zoned property line is 55 dBA. Impulsive noise gets 10 dBA more from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and no increase at night or on Sunday (Sec. 58-450(b)). Construction: 55 dBA at the nearest property line of an adjacent residential area from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday, and round-the-clock equipment near a residentially zoned area such as pumps and generators needs an acoustical enclosure in quiet hours unless it is under 55 dBA unshielded (Sec. 58-449(b)). Boats and barges on county waters, including the Florida Intracoastal Waterway: 90 dBA at 50 feet (Sec. 58-452(a)). Mechanical or electrical devices in outdoor public recreation areas and parks: 72 dBA from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 55 dBA from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., daily, at the nearest adjacent residentially zoned property line, unless a planned community event has a permit and waiver (Sec. 58-453). Octave bands: for any source that can be detected on an adjacent parcel, 65 dB in each of the bands centered on 31.5, 63, 125, 250 and 500 Hertz (Sec. 58-454). Noise below these numbers can still break the separate rule against unreasonably loud and raucous noise, which is judged by factors such as volume, background noise, zoning, duration and time of day (Sec. 58-444).

What the ordinance actually says

Sec. 58-455: "All territory within the legal boundaries of the county, including all unincorporated and incorporated areas, shall be embraced by the provisions of this article. Where a municipality has adopted noise standards, the municipal ordinance or code shall govern."

Sec. 58-441: "Quiet hours are defined as the period before 7:00 a.m. or after 11:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday; quiet hours may be altered by ordinance based on the activity engaged upon."

Sec. 58-441: "Loud and raucous noise is noise of any nature that is produced, reproduced, transmitted, or allowed to continue in such a manner as to unreasonably disturb, injure, or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivity."

Sec. 58-444(a): "No person shall make, continue, permit, or cause to be made or continued: (1) Any unreasonably loud and raucous noise; or (2) Any noise which unreasonably disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivity; or (3) Any noise which exceeds the maximum allowable limits set forth in this article."

Sec. 58-451(a): "Except for those noises otherwise specifically provided for within this article, and in addition to the prohibitions set forth in section 58-444 it shall be unlawful to create or allow to be created any noise within a residential zone that exceeds 72 dBA during the hours between 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., measured at the nearest adjacent property line."

Sec. 58-451(b): "Except for those noises otherwise specifically provided for within this article, and in addition to the prohibitions set forth in section 58-444 it shall be unlawful to create or allow to be created any noise within a residential zone that exceeds 55 dBA during quiet hours, measured at the nearest adjacent property line, except where a temporary waiver has been authorized pursuant to Section 58-448."

Sec. 58-451(d): "In the case of multifamily dwelling units, it shall be unlawful to create or permit to be created any noise that exceeds 55 dBA during the hours between 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., or 40 dBA during the hours between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., daily, measured from a neighbor's dwelling."

Sec. 58-446(b): "Noise complaints shall be undertaken only upon receipt of a complaint by an identifiable person who resides, owns property, or is employed in the area affected by the noise complained of."

Sec. 58-443: "Violations of this article are punishable as provided in section 1-8."

Sec. 1-8(c): "Except as otherwise provided by law or ordinance, a person convicted of a violation of this Code shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00. With respect to violations of this Code that are continuous with respect to time, each day the violation continues is a separate offense."

Sec. 58-449(c): "Notwithstanding the above, the erection, excavating, demolition, alteration, or repair of any building between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday, constitutes loud and raucous noise and is prohibited except in case of urgent necessity in the interest of public health and safety, and if permitted by the Housing Official."

Sec. 14-26, public nuisance animal, item (4): "Makes excessive noises, including, but not limited to, continued or repeated howling, barking, whining, or other utterances;"

Quoted verbatim from the official text (Pinellas County Code Chapter 58 Article XII (Noise), Secs. 58-441 to 58-455, with Chapter 14 for animals. Pinellas County Code on Municode, "Codified through Ordinance No. 26-13, enacted March 24, 2026. (Supp. No. 124)", online content updated June 23, 2026: Chapter 58 (Environment), Article XII (Noise), Secs. 58-441 to 58-454 (Ord. No. 03-3, § 1, 1-7-03, which replaced the whole article; most sections amended by Ord. No. 25-17, § 2, 9-22-25) and Sec. 58-455, Areas embraced (Ord. No. 25-17, § 2, 9-22-25); Chapter 14 (Animals), Secs. 14-26, 14-27, 14-28 and 14-30 (Ord. No. 25-28, § 1, 12-16-25). Chapter 1 (General Provisions), Sec. 1-8, General penalty; continuing violations (Ord. No. 75-9, § 1, 4-15-75; Ord. No. 06-07, § 1, 1-24-07; Ord. No. 07-05, § 1, 1-9-07). The two ordinances Municode lists as adopted but not yet codified (Nos. 26-24 and 26-25) do not concern noise. 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 Pinellas County

Excessive noise from parties, people or vehicles is handled by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office: call (727) 582-6200, or 911 for an emergency. That number covers unincorporated areas and many cities. To report unreasonably loud and raucous noise to the County in unincorporated Pinellas County, use the sworn, notarized Affidavit of Unreasonably Loud and Raucous Noise, filed through the Pinellas County Access Portal; Code Enforcement is at (727) 464-4761 and 631 Chestnut St., Clearwater. The affidavit must give your name, address and telephone number, the identity and address of the person responsible if known, and a description of the noise, and the County may act on one or more complaints (Sec. 58-446(a)). The complainant must be an identifiable person who lives, owns property or works in the affected area (Sec. 58-446(b)), and by signing you agree to appear at a hearing, which the form describes as appearing in a court of law. For a short-term rental in unincorporated Pinellas County, the County says to call the Sheriff's Office at (727) 582-6200 and the 24/7 Short-Term Rental Hotline at (727) 353-2436. For loud car stereos, the Sheriff's Office also takes reports on its online Lower the Boom form. For barking, Animal Services is (727) 582-2600, option 4; a citation can rest on affidavits from two or more residents in separate dwellings nearby, on one affidavit with photo or video, or on an officer's own observation (Sec. 14-30(b)). Inside a city, Code Enforcement sends you to that city. The County's non-emergency list gives separate police numbers for St. Petersburg (727-893-7780), Clearwater (727-562-4242), Largo (727-587-6717), Tarpon Springs (727-937-6151) and Indian Shores (727-595-5414); the other municipalities on the list use 727-582-6200, and for some of them the Sheriff's Office only dispatches to the local agency. Violations are punishable as provided in Sec. 1-8 of the County Code (Sec. 58-443): unless another law or ordinance provides otherwise, a person convicted faces a fine of up to $500, and each day a continuous violation goes on is a separate offense (Sec. 1-8(c)). The County may also use civil fines or other administrative action, including under Florida Statutes Chapter 162 (Secs. 1-8(d), 58-446(a)), and the Board of County Commissioners may seek an injunction in circuit court (Sec. 1-8(e)). Sources: https://library.municode.com/fl/pinellas_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIPICOCO_CH1GEPR (Sec. 1-8), https://pinellas.gov/enforcement-codes/, https://pinellas.gov/noise-affidavit, https://pinellas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Noise-Affidavit2_a11y-ADA-Compliant.pdf, https://pinellas.gov/services/submit-a-code-complaint/, https://pinellas.gov/str/, https://pinellas.gov/animal-services-enforcement/, https://pinellas.gov/non-emergency-phone-numbers/, https://www.pinellassheriff.gov/ContactUs and https://www.pinellassheriff.gov/operation-lower-the-boom.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Pinellas 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: Sec. 58-455, added in 2025, says the article embraces all territory in the county, incorporated and unincorporated, but where a municipality has adopted noise standards, the municipal ordinance or code governs. The code does not list which of the County's 24 municipalities have done so. County Code Enforcement says it investigates in the unincorporated areas and tells people in a city to contact that city. St. Petersburg is a separate jurisdiction with its own noise rules (see the St. Petersburg page). (2) The County's Code Enforcement page does not match the code in two places, and the code controls. It labels the residential limits "Sec. 58-541", but they are in Sec. 58-451. It also says lawnmowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers and flushing boat motors are exempted when used reasonably from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., yet the exceptions in Sec. 58-447 do not list them. That page also leaves out the 55 dBA limit for residential zones in quiet hours. (3) A written noise complaint to the County has to be an affidavit from an identifiable person, so an anonymous report cannot start a Sec. 58-446 case. (4) Noise on the move: if a violation is caused by itinerant or transient noise, it is presumed irreparable and the County may issue a citation or notice to appear without first giving time to correct it (Sec. 58-446(c)). (5) Amplified sound for advertising or to attract public attention is banned, stationary or moving, including devices on or in a vehicle (Sec. 58-444(a)(4)). (6) Presumed loud and raucous if they meet the definition, whether continuous or itinerant: radios, stereos, musical instruments and amplification devices; pets or other animals; yelling, shouting, singing or other noise consistent with parties or gatherings; and fireworks (Sec. 58-445). Fireworks are not presumed loud and raucous on July 4th or December 31st or within 24 hours of either date, or when sponsored or permitted by a local government as part of a holiday, municipal or other commemorative event, or otherwise in line with Sec. 62-85 (Sec. 58-445(5)). (7) Exceptions (Sec. 58-447): warning and emergency signals, emergency repairs, ordinary noise from railways, shipping lanes and aircraft, permitted cultural, historical or traditional observances, holidays and ceremonies, and noises consistent with limits elsewhere in the County Code. (8) Waivers: the county administrator, or a city or town manager inside a municipality, may grant written waivers of the numeric limits for up to 180 days, renewable, but only for noise in an industrial or commercial zone from operations that existed on the effective date of Ord. No. 03-3, and denials can be appealed within 30 days (Sec. 58-448). Sec. 58-450(c)(1) separately allows a waiver of the Table 2 limits for an activity so important to public welfare, health or safety that it cannot be shut down. (9) Whoever was there first can matter: a business that set up away from homes and was later reached by residential development is held to the industrial-commercial boundary limits, not the residential ones (Sec. 58-450(c)(2)). (10) Boats: refusing a sound level test requested by a law enforcement officer is a second degree misdemeanor (Sec. 58-452(b)). (11) Animal noise: excessive howling, barking or whining makes an animal a public nuisance animal, the owner is in violation regardless of knowledge or intent (Secs. 14-26, 14-30(a)), and this animal article covers all incorporated and unincorporated areas (Sec. 14-28). The County may enforce it under Sec. 1-8 or by any other legal means (Sec. 14-27). Animal Services says its officers cover calls seven days a week but that it has only one standby officer for emergencies on Sundays and after hours. (12) Short-term rentals in unincorporated areas need a Certificate of Use, and Code Enforcement says it monitors them for noise, among other limits.

Document it before you report it

Some of Pinellas 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 St. Petersburg noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.