Noise complaints

Who it's for

Noise complaints about a licensed venue usually start with one neighbour and one late night. Left alone, they can turn into a council letter, an EPA visit or a new condition on your licence or permit. This page is for bars, pubs, restaurants and music venues that want to fix it first.

• A neighbour has complained to you, more than once
• Council or the EPA has contacted you about noise
• Noise has been raised in an objection to your application
• You've been asked to accept a noise condition

Not you? If council has issued a notice, see council enforcement notices. Planning live music? See live music and noise.

What to do first

Don't dismiss it. One ignored complaint often becomes several, made to several bodies.

Turn it down if it's clearly too loud. That costs less than a condition.

Keep a record of each complaint: date, time, what was on and what you did.

Don't make promises at the door. "We'll finish at 10" can end up in a condition.

Who deals with noise complaints in Victoria

Each regulator enforces different things. Noise goes to the EPA and council. Liquor goes to Liquor Control Victoria (LCV). Planning goes to council. Music noise from venues is regulated under the EPA's noise framework. A noise problem handled as a liquor or planning problem can end up under rules that weren't built for it, so we make sure it reaches the body responsible for noise.

Noise limiters and acoustic reports

An acoustic report measures how much sound leaves your venue and reaches neighbours, and shows what needs to change. We brief an independent acoustic consultant for the report and manage the whole process; their fee is quoted separately. A noise limiter caps your sound system at an agreed level so volume can't creep up late at night. For amenity, it is often a better answer than crowd controllers: it deals with the sound itself and costs less to run.

Live music and the agent of change rule

Clause 53.06 of the planning scheme covers some live music venues and the "agent of change" idea: whoever introduces the change, a new venue or new homes nearby, is responsible for managing the noise. We check whether it applies to you.

Complaints belong with the right body. Noise goes to the EPA and council, liquor to LCV, planning to council.

How it works

We find the cause, fix it and show the fix works.

1. Tell us what's happening In a 15-minute call we hear about the complaints and who has been contacted.
2. Check your conditions We read your permit and licence for noise and music conditions.
3. Get it measured Where needed, we arrange an acoustic report so the fix rests on evidence.
4. Fix and respond A noise limiter, speaker or hours changes, written down and put to council or the EPA in writing.

A noise limiter often beats crowd controllers. It deals with the sound itself.

Fees and timing

Our fee is fixed before we start. Timing depends on whether a report is needed and the regulator's response.

First call

Free, 15 minutes

Our fee

Fixed fee, quoted before we start

Acoustic report

Quoted separately by the acoustic consultant; we brief and manage them

Timing

Depends on the complaint, any report and the regulator

What we need from you

A short note is fine to start.

• Any letters from council, the EPA or LCV
• Your complaint log: dates, times, what was on
• Your permit and licence conditions
• Sound system details and speaker locations
• Trading hours and music schedule

Questions