Redding's Noise Ordinances: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles noise ordinances a little differently. In Redding, California, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Amplified Music & Events

Redding does not have a stand-alone amplified-sound permit chapter. Amplified music is covered by the general nuisance rule in RMC 18.40.100(B) plus the Schedule 18.40.100-A decibel table. Permitted outdoor events, parades, and public gatherings issued a City permit are exempt under RMC 18.40.100(H)(2).

Key details: Code Section: RMC 18.40.100(B), (E). Residential Night Cap: 45 dB(A) Leq. Residential Day Cap: 55 dB(A) Leq. State Backup: Penal Code 415(2). Permitted Events: Exempt under 18.40.100(H)(2).

A code violation is a public nuisance under RMC 18.40.100(A)(3), enforced via administrative citation. Redding Police can also cite under California Penal Code 415(2) (loud and unreasonable noise), a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail or $400 fine, or as an infraction.

Quiet Hours

Redding does not impose a single citywide curfew. Section 18.40.100(B) of the Redding Municipal Code makes it unlawful to willfully or negligently make any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise that disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood, 24 hours a day. A measurable nighttime cap applies after 10:00 p.m.

Key details: Code Section: RMC 18.40.100. Night Cap (Residential): 45 dB(A) Leq 10pm-7am. Day Cap (Residential): 55 dB(A) Leq 7am-10pm. Standard: General nuisance + decibel table. Police Non-Emergency: (530) 225-4200.

A violation is declared a public nuisance under RMC 18.40.100(A)(3). Enforcement is handled by Redding Police for active disturbances and by Code Enforcement (530-245-7110) for measurable or persistent issues, using the administrative citation procedure in RMC Chapter 1.13.

Barking Dogs

Animal noise in Redding is regulated under RMC Title 7 Chapter 7.04 (General Provisions, Animals), not under the noise chapter. RMC 7.04.090 makes it a nuisance to keep an animal whose barking, howling, or other noise unreasonably disturbs persons living in two or more separate households. Enforcement is by Haven Humane Society under contract with the City.

Key details: Code Section: RMC 7.04.090. Continuous Trigger: 10 minutes. Intermittent Trigger: 30 minutes. Witness Standard: 2 separate households. Enforcement Contact: Haven Humane (530) 241-2550.

A violation is an infraction subject to an administrative citation under RMC Chapter 1.13. Each day a barking nuisance continues after warning may be treated as a separate violation. Persistent failure to abate can lead to escalating fines and, in severe cases, a vicious or nuisance animal hearing.

Industrial Noise

Industrial uses in Redding are not subject to a fixed dB cap within their own districts but must meet the receiving-property standards at the property line of any nonindustrial district. RMC 18.40.100 Schedule 18.40.100-A measures industrial noise at the nearest residential, office, or commercial boundary, where the same 45/55/65 dB(A) Leq caps apply.

Key details: Code Section: RMC 18.40.100 Sched. A. Industrial-to-Industrial: No fixed cap (n/a). Industrial-to-Residential: 45/55 dB(A) Leq. Industrial-to-Commercial: 55/65 dB(A) Leq. Acoustical Study: RMC 18.40.110(A)(1).

Industrial noise exceeding the receiving-property limits at a nonindustrial boundary is a public nuisance under RMC 18.40.100(A)(3) and is enforced through administrative citation under RMC Chapter 1.13. New industrial development can be conditioned with mitigation requirements at entitlement under RMC 18.40.110.

Construction Hours

RMC 18.40.100(F)(2) sets seasonal construction-hour windows for work within 500 feet of a residential district. Weekday allowable hours run roughly sunrise to early evening, with tighter limits on weekends and holidays and a longer permitted day during the May-September period.

Key details: Code Section: RMC 18.40.100(F)(2). Summer Weekday Start: 6:00 a.m. (May 15-Sep 15). Winter Weekday Start: 7:00 a.m. (Sep 16-May 14). Weekend Start: 9:00 a.m.. Weeknight End: 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m..

Construction outside the allowed window is a public nuisance under RMC 18.40.100(A)(3) and is enforced through administrative citation under Chapter 1.13. Repeated work outside permitted hours can also support stop-work orders by Building.

Aircraft Noise

Aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by federal law under 49 U.S.C. 41713 and is excluded from Redding's noise chapter by RMC 18.40.100(I). Redding Regional Airport (RDD/KRDD) and Benton Field publish voluntary noise-abatement guidance asking pilots to avoid overflying residential areas, but neither airport has a mandatory curfew.

Key details: Federal Preemption: 49 U.S.C. 41713. Local Carveout: RMC 18.40.100(I). Mandatory Curfew: None at KRDD. Airport (Commercial): Redding Regional (RDD). Airport (GA): Benton Field.

There is no local citation pathway for in-flight aircraft noise. Noise complaints are typically logged with the airport for the FAA's voluntary noise-abatement reporting and can be escalated to the FAA's Aircraft Noise Ombudsman. Ground-based airport activities that cross onto neighboring property may be subject to RMC 18.40.100 only where federal preemption does not foreclose enforcement.

The rules around aircraft noise in Redding lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Vehicle Noise

Vehicle-in-traffic noise in Redding is governed by the California Vehicle Code, not by local ordinance. CVC 27150 requires every vehicle to have an adequate muffler in constant operation and prohibits cutouts or bypasses; CVC 27151 caps modified exhaust at 95 dB(A) measured per SAE J1169. Stationary loud audio is also reachable under RMC 18.40.100(B).

Key details: State Law: CVC 27150, 27151. Max Modified Exhaust: 95 dB(A) (SAE J1169). Local Backup: RMC 18.40.100(B). Enforcement: Redding PD traffic. Fix-It Ticket: Eliminated by AB 1824.

CVC 27150 / 27151 violations are infractions. Base fines run roughly $200-$1,000 with state assessments; immediate-cite policy applies post-AB 1824. Stationary noise that exceeds the 18.40.100 caps is a public nuisance enforceable by administrative citation under RMC Chapter 1.13.

Leaf Blower Rules

RMC 18.40.100(F)(3) restricts domestic power tools - including leaf blowers and lawn and garden equipment - across residential or commercial property lines. Use is prohibited 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on weekends and legal holidays. Redding has no outright gas-blower ban.

Key details: Code Section: RMC 18.40.100(F)(3). Weekday Allowed: 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.. Weekend/Holiday Allowed: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.. Day dB(A) Cap: 55 Leq residential. Gas-Blower Ban: None at city level.

A violation is a public nuisance under RMC 18.40.100(A)(3), enforced through administrative citation under Chapter 1.13. Code Enforcement (530-245-7110) handles complaints from neighbors. Commercial landscape contractors working during prohibited hours can also face business-license consequences.

The Bottom Line

Redding's noise ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Redding is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Redding can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.