Noise Ordinance Guide
Port St. Lucie Pickleball Noise Ordinance
What the Code Says
What Port St. Lucie's Noise Code Means for Your Community's Pickleball Courts
If your Port St. Lucie HOA, condo association, or club is planning or resurfacing a pickleball court, the rulebook is Chapter 94 of the City of Port St. Lucie Code of Ordinances. The city amended Sec. 94.04 in 2016, and the current version is strict: 60 dBA at a residential receiving property line during the day, 55 dBA at night, plus a standalone rule that any noise plainly audible 100 feet away is a violation. On Sundays and holidays the nighttime limits apply around the clock. Every claim on this page is cited. Last verified September 5, 2026.
at a glance
Port St. Lucie Noise Rules at a Glance
Source: City of Port St. Lucie Code of Ordinances, Title IX, Chapter 94 (Noise), Sec. 94.04 (Ord. 91-43, amended by Ord. 16-08). Last verified September 5, 2026. This page is part of our Florida pickleball noise ordinance guide, which is still in progress and covers selected cities only.
Daytime: 60 dBA (7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
Table I in Sec. 94.04 caps residential receiving property at 60 dBA or 65 dBC during the day, measured at or beyond the approximate real property line of the receiving property. Source: Sec. 94.04
Nighttime: 55 dBA (11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.)
The table drops to 55 dBA or 60 dBC overnight, and for any sound projected on a Sunday or holiday, the nighttime limits apply at every hour of the day. Source: Sec. 94.04(g)
Plainly Audible at 100 Feet
Noise that is plainly audible 100 feet or more in any direction from the source is a violation of the chapter, independent of any meter reading. Source: Sec. 94.04(i)
Plainly Audible Standard
Yes, 100 feet in any direction from the source is a violation on its own
the code
How the Port St. Lucie Code Applies to Pickleball
01
The 2016 Amendment Tightened the Rules
The original 1991 chapter used L1, L10 and L50 percentile levels over a 15-minute measurement with an 80 dBA peak allowance. Ordinance 16-08 replaced that with a simple dBA/dBC table and added the 100 foot plainly audible test. Any summary quoting the old percentile table is out of date. Source: Sec. 94.04
02
Measured at the Receiving Property
Sound is measured at or beyond the approximate real property line of the property receiving it, and sound crossing from one land use category into another must meet the receiving category's limit. Distance between the court and the neighbor is the design variable. Source: Sec. 94.04(b) and (d)
03
Sundays and Holidays Are Effectively Quiet Days
On Sundays and holidays the 55 dBA nighttime limit applies to sound projected at any time. Source: Sec. 94.04(g)
04
Amplified Sound Near Homes
Sec. 94.06 separately restricts loudspeakers and sound systems in or adjacent to residential areas late at night when the sound is plainly audible across the property line of the source, with a permit exception for public events. Court speakers and tournament PA systems fall under it. Source: Sec. 94.06
Planning a court in Port St. Lucie?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Port St. Lucie have a pickleball noise ordinance?
Not by name. Port St. Lucie regulates court noise through Chapter 94 of the Code of Ordinances, which sets maximum sound levels by receiving land use in Sec. 94.04 and makes noise plainly audible at 100 feet a violation. Pickleball, tennis and athletic courts are not mentioned.
What are the quiet hours for pickleball courts in Port St. Lucie?
11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., when the residential limit drops to 55 dBA. On Sundays and holidays those nighttime limits apply at all hours, per Sec. 94.04(g). The city sets no court play hours.
Who do I contact about a pickleball noise complaint in Port St. Lucie?
Chapter 94 is enforced by city code enforcement officers and police, who can act on a meter reading or on the 100 foot plainly audible standard, per Sec. 94.04 and 94.08. Communities in unincorporated St. Lucie County fall under the county code instead.
