Noise Ordinance Guide
Florida Pickleball Noise Ordinances by City
Guide in progress
How Florida Cities Regulate Court Noise
Florida does not have one statewide pickleball noise rule. Each city writes its own noise code, and none of the 12 codes we have reviewed so far names pickleball. This guide is a work in progress. It covers 12 Florida cities right now, not every city or county in the state, and we are adding more as we verify each code. Every figure links to the city code or adopted ordinance it came from.
three approaches
How Cities Measure Noise
Most codes we reviewed use one or more of these methods. Which one applies changes how a court complaint is judged, so open your city page for the exact sections.
Decibel Tables
Some cities set numeric limits measured with a sound meter. Naples caps residential receiving sites at 60 dBA by day and 55 dBA at night, and Fort Lauderdale uses 60 dBA by day and 50 dBA at night outdoors.
Plainly Audible Tests
Other codes ask whether sound can be clearly heard from a set distance. Fort Lauderdale applies a 25 foot test at night and 50 feet by day to sound devices on residential property.
Noise Disturbance Standards
West Palm Beach has no residential decibel table. It bans unreasonably loud, excessive, unnecessary or unusual noise that is plainly audible, and officers weigh factors like time of day and land use.
Exemptions Vary
West Palm Beach exempts activity at municipal and school athletic facilities, while Jacksonville Rule 4 lists no park or athletic exemption. A private community court is not covered by either.
how to use this guide
Checking the Rules for Your Court
01
Confirm Your Jurisdiction
City codes apply inside city limits. Property in unincorporated areas falls under the county code instead, even with a city mailing address.
02
Find the Measurement Method
Check whether your city uses a decibel table, a plainly audible distance, a general noise disturbance standard, or a mix.
03
Note Where Sound Is Measured
Codes measure at different points. Jacksonville and Naples measure at the receiving property line, while Fort Lauderdale measures 5 feet from the source building when there is no complainant.
04
Check the Night Hours
Nighttime limits start at different times by city. Many codes in this guide switch at 10:00 p.m., Boca Raton starts its night limits at 7:00 p.m., and West Palm Beach uses 11:00 p.m. for sound devices.
05
Read the Source
Each city page links to the code section or ordinance it cites. Read the current version before you make a decision.
Planning a court?
compare
Florida Noise Rules Compared
| City | Night hours | Night limit | Plainly audible | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Raton | Night conditions run 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM under Sec. 10-72; lawn equipment banned 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM; no court play hours in code | 50 dBA at or within a residential boundary, 7 PM to 7 AM (60 dBA commercial) | No plainly audible distance test; excessive and unusually loud noise plus the Sec. 10-72 decibel standards | Code |
| Bonita Springs | 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM (nighttime row of the Sec. 20-22 Table 1); no court play hours in code | 55 dBA residential, public space or agricultural receiving land, 10 PM to 7 AM (65 dBA commercial) | No fixed distance. If a meter reading is unavailable or inappropriate, a noise disturbance can be proved on the listed reasonableness standards instead | Code |
| Bradenton | 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM in residential zoning districts; no court play hours in code | 65 dBA / dBC in the same districts, 10 PM to 7 AM | No plainly audible distance test; a separate 80 dBA cap applies to impulsive sound at any hour | Code |
| Cape Coral | 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM (plainly audible at 100 feet is prima facie evidence; lower decibel thresholds apply); no court play hours in code | 65 dBA / 67 dBC, 11 PM to 7 AM | Yes, 100 feet from the source property line between 11 PM and 7 AM (also 50 feet for vehicles, any hour) | Code |
| Fort Lauderdale | 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM (Sec. 17-6, 17-7) | 50 dBA / 60 dBC outdoor residential (Sec. 17-6) | Yes, sound devices: 25 ft at night, 50 ft day (Sec. 17-7) | Code |
| Gainesville | Nighttime is 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM; daytime is 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM; no court play hours in code | 55 dB(A) for residential source land use at the same distance (60 commercial) | Yes, 200 feet from the real property line of the source, including nonamplified human voice | Code |
| Jacksonville | 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM (Rule 4, 4.101) | 55 dBA at residential land from residential, commercial or Class C sources; 60 dBA from Class D (Rule 4, 4.203(B)(2)) | Not in Rule 4 | Code |
| Naples | 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM (nighttime column of the Sec. 22-37 Table 1, plus the yelling and shouting prohibition); no court play hours in code | 55 dBA residential receiving site, 60 dBA non-residential, 10 PM to 7 AM | Limited. 25 feet for vehicle and boat audio in public rights-of-way (Sec. 22-37(c)(1)); no general plainly audible test for property noise | Code |
| Pensacola | 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM in the city (vocal and amplified sound provisions); 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM weekdays and 10:00 PM to 10:00 AM weekends in unincorporated Escambia County; no court play hours in either code | No residential decibel limit; same standard, with specific late-night prohibitions | Yes, 50 feet for amplified devices between 11 PM and 7 AM in the city; the county uses a plainly audible and unreasonably loud test | Code |
| Port St. Lucie | 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM, and all day Sunday and holidays the nighttime limits apply; no court play hours in code | 55 dBA / 60 dBC at a residential receiving property line, 11 PM to 7 AM | Yes, 100 feet in any direction from the source is a violation on its own | Code |
| Tallahassee | No citywide residential quiet hours; the 100 foot plainly audible standard applies at any hour outside the Urban Core (2:00 AM to 7:00 AM inside it) | No residential decibel table; same standard | Yes, 100 feet or greater, detected by a police or code enforcement officer using unaided hearing | Code |
| West Palm Beach | Sound devices: 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM weekdays (Sec. 34-36(2)) | No residential dBA table | Yes, plainly audible noise disturbance standard (Sec. 34-36) | Code |
Summary only. See each city page for section numbers and full context. Guide in progress: 12 cities so far.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Florida have a statewide pickleball noise law?
None of the city codes in this guide points to a statewide pickleball noise rule. Noise limits come from each city code, so rules change from one city to the next.
Do Florida noise ordinances mention pickleball?
None of the 12 city codes we have reviewed so far names pickleball. Court noise is handled under each city's general noise rules.
Does this guide cover every Florida city?
No. It covers 12 cities so far, and more are being added as each code is verified.
