Indoor and outdoor entertainment venues and outdoor entertainment events must follow rules about music noise.

What is music noise

Music noise includes music and other sounds, like singing or performing that is heard at a residence, another place where people live or sleep, school or child care centres. Music noise can include:

  • live or recorded music
  • voices, including the audience singing and announcements associated with the music
  • other amplified sounds and sound effects that happen with music.

Music noise can impact some people’s health and wellbeing, especially when it affects the ability to sleep, or to undertake normal activities at home.

EPA’s ‘Applying the noise framework’ guidance series

EPA has published a comprehensive guidance series for business and community. The series explores how the environment protection framework (laws and regulations) apply to noise. The series covers:

  • how different sources of noise are regulated under the Environment Protection Act 2017 (for example, music noise vs industrial noise)
  • how noise can be assessed (using qualitative ‘common sense’ assessment and quantitative technical measurements)
  • how the different environment protection laws interact (the general environmental duty versus the duty not to emit unreasonable noise)
  • examples of how you can comply with these laws and regulations

The series does not cover how residential noise is regulated under the Environment Protection Act 2017. For information visit, Residential noise.

Three parts of the series are relevant to music noise from entertainment venues:

Unreasonable noise guidelines

These guidelines explain the concept of unreasonable noise, including pathways for determining if noise is unreasonable, and how they work with the general environmental duty. It also includes case study examples of compliance, enforcement and resolution of noise pollution events. For information visit, Unreasonable noise guidelines.

Entertainment venues and outdoor entertainment events music noise guidelines

These guidelines give a comprehensive explanation of how the Environment Protection Act 2017 (section 25, section 166 and section 168) and the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 (Part 5.3, Division 4) apply to noise from entertainment venues and outdoor entertainment events. For information visit, Entertainment venue and outdoor event music noise guidelines.

Permit guidelines for outdoor entertainment venues and events

These guidelines explain the permitting requirements for individuals and businesses who are planning musical entertainment at an outdoor entertainment venue or event. For information visit, Permit guidelines for outdoor entertainment venues and events

Find out more about the music noise rules for indoor and outdoor entertainment events and venues.

 

Resolving music noise issues

Where the music noise level is more than the noise limit, we can require venue managers to:

  • take steps to reduce noise to, or below the noise limit
  • monitor the noise
  • take any other action to comply with the requirements.

More about music noise from venues and events

Music noise: EPA's role

Entertainment venue and outdoor event music noise guidelines

Music noise: the law

Measuring music noise

Outdoor event permits

Permitting application requirements for outdoor entertainment venues and events guidelines

Report music noise 

Noise and your health

Reviewed 8 May 2023