Music at fincas
hours and noise

01 — The short answer

How late can you play music at a finca in Mallorca?

There is no single cut-off time for all of Mallorca. It is set, in this order, by the finca’s activity licence, its town hall’s bylaw and Law 1/2007, which places the night period between 23:00 and 08:00. The real time should be asked of the venue in writing before you sign.

What is common across the island is the 23:00 step. From then the night period applies, with the strictest limits, and that is where it is decided whether a party continues at full volume, turns down or ends. A well-designed event does not fight that step: it is organised to reach it with the important moments already done.

03 — What the law says

What does Law 1/2007 say about parties and outdoor music?

Law 1/2007 splits the day into three periods: day (08:00–20:00), evening (20:00–23:00) and night (23:00–08:00). Bylaws may shorten the evening by one hour and extend the night. Decibel limits are not in the law: they are set by regulation and by each municipality’s bylaw.

For non-permanent activities — a party at a finca is one — article 43.3 requires an acoustic study and certificate when the activity is daytime with equipment able to produce 70 dB(A) or more, or night-time at 60 dB(A) or more or with 250 people or more. Professional sound systems exceed those levels, so ask the venue whether its licence already covers this.

Article 14 allows the authorities to temporarily suspend acoustic quality objectives for events of special official, cultural, religious or similar standing, after assessment. The law does not mention private parties: we do not count on that route.

05 — Before signing

What should you ask the finca before booking?

Five questions, in writing: the cut-off time for amplified music outdoors, whether there is a limiter-recorder and at what threshold, which licence covers the event, whether nearby neighbours have complained before, and what the plan is if the party must move indoors.

1. Until what time is amplified music allowed outdoors, and indoors?
2. Is there a limiter-recorder? At what threshold and where does our desk connect?
3. Which activity licence covers events and what hours does it state?
4. Have there been neighbour complaints or inspections in recent seasons?
5. What is plan B if the party must move indoors or end earlier?

The answers change the budget and sometimes the whole format of the event. A finca with a one o’clock cut-off and a low limiter cannot host the same party as one with a three o’clock cut-off and no limiter, however both are advertised as a “wedding finca”.