Nashville Quiet Hours Rules (2026) — What You Need to Know

Some Restrictions

Last verified: December 1, 2025|Source: Nashville Codes Administration →

Key Facts

Quiet Hours: 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM
Daytime Residential Limit: 75 dB
Nighttime Residential Limit: 65 dB
Fine Range: $50 – $500
Enforcement: Metro Nashville PD + dedicated noise unit

The Short Version

Nashville's noise ordinance sets quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM in residential areas. The rules changed significantly in 2023 after years of complaints about Lower Broadway-area noise spilling into neighborhoods. Residential areas now have a hard 75 dB limit during daytime and 65 dB at night. The entertainment districts operate under separate rules, but residential buffer zones along the district edges get the residential standard. Nashville Metro Police handles complaints, and the city added a dedicated noise enforcement team in late 2023.

Full Breakdown

Nashville's noise ordinance (Metro Code 11.12) went through a major overhaul following community pressure about entertainment noise creeping into residential neighborhoods. The current rules establish clear decibel caps: 75 dB during the day and 65 dB between 10 PM and 7 AM in residential zones.

The entertainment district (Lower Broadway, Midtown, and parts of East Nashville) operates under a separate framework with higher thresholds. But the city drew residential buffer zones around these areas where the lower residential limits apply. This has been a point of friction between venue owners and nearby homeowners.

Nashville's enforcement approach combines police response for acute complaints with a dedicated noise enforcement team that handles repeat issues and does proactive monitoring. Officers carry sound meters and can issue citations on the spot. The city also requires new entertainment venues to submit sound mitigation plans during the permitting process.

What Happens If You Violate This?

Fines range from $50 for a first offense to $500 for subsequent violations. Commercial establishments can face license suspension after three violations within a 12-month period. The dedicated noise team can also require sound studies for venues with repeated complaints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Nashville's noise ordinance gotten stricter?

Yes. The 2023 overhaul tightened decibel limits in residential buffer zones near entertainment districts and added a dedicated noise enforcement team. The changes came after years of complaints from neighborhoods near Lower Broadway and Midtown.

Do party buses fall under the noise ordinance?

Yes. Nashville specifically addressed party buses and pedal taverns in the 2023 update. Amplified sound from vehicles on public roads is limited to 65 dB measured at 50 feet, though enforcement has been uneven.

I live near Broadway — do the entertainment rules apply to me?

It depends on your exact location. Nashville created residential buffer zones where residential noise limits apply even though you're near the entertainment district. Check with Metro Codes Administration to confirm your zone.

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