Long Beach's Noise from Specific Sources: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles noise from specific sources a little differently. In Long Beach, California, there are 5 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.

Generator Noise

Long Beach requires any motor, machinery or pump, including portable generators, to be sufficiently enclosed or muffled so it does not create a noise disturbance, on top of the citywide 10 p.m.–7 a.m. quiet hours for power tools.

Key details: Muffling duty: Applies at all hours, not just nighttime. Covered equipment: Motor, machinery, pump, etc.. Nighttime tool ban: 10 p.m.–7 a.m. across residential lines. Enforcing office: Noise Control Office. Max penalty: $500 fine / 180 days jail.

An unmuffled or poorly maintained generator that keeps creating a documented disturbance can draw an abatement order from the Noise Control Officer; ignoring that order is a misdemeanor under § 8.80.380, carrying a fine up to $500, up to 180 days in jail, or both, with each additional day of noncompliance charged separately.

Car Alarm Limits

Long Beach caps any motor vehicle alarm at 15 minutes of continuous or intermittent sound under Municipal Code § 10.25.010, timed from the first audible emission. A first violation is a $25 infraction; a fourth violation becomes a misdemeanor, and police may enter the vehicle to disconnect the alarm and impound it.

Key details: Time limit: 15 minutes of audible sound. First offense: $25 infraction fine. 4th+ offense: Misdemeanor (after 3 priors). Enforcement: LBPD may enter vehicle, disconnect alarm, tow.

A first offense is a $25 infraction under §10.25.010(C). A fourth violation (after three prior convictions) becomes a misdemeanor under §10.25.010(D), carrying the Code's general misdemeanor penalty of up to a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail under §1.32.010. Police may also enter the vehicle, disconnect the alarm and tow it under §10.25.010(E).

Delivery Truck Noise

Long Beach bans loud loading and unloading of boxes, crates, containers and similar cargo between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. across a residential property line, and prohibits it at any hour if it breaches the city's noise-level tables.

Key details: Restricted hours: 10 p.m.–7 a.m. next day. Trigger: Noise disturbance across residential line. Daytime cap: Must meet §§ 8.80.150/.170 tables. Complaint required: Written sworn complaint from resident. Max penalty: $500 fine / 180 days jail.

Continuing loading or unloading noise after a documented abatement order is a misdemeanor under § 8.80.380, a fine up to $500, up to 180 days in jail, or both, with every additional day of noncompliance charged as a separate offense. The equipment or activity can also be enjoined as a public nuisance under § 8.80.410.

HVAC & Mechanical Noise

Long Beach caps air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment noise at 60 dB(A) at a neighbor's property line for units installed before 1-1-80 (January 1, 1980), and 55 dB(A) for units installed on or after that date. Readings at a neighboring patio or at the nearest neighboring living-area window face a tighter ceiling of 55 or 50 dB(A).

Key details: Property line limit: 60 dB(A) if installed before 1-1-80; 55 dB(A) on or after. Neighbor's patio limit: 55 dB(A) before 1-1-80; 50 dB(A) on or after. Neighbor's window limit: 55 dB(A) before 1-1-80; 50 dB(A) on or after. Measurement height: Five feet above grade, at least three feet from any wall. Maximum penalty: Misdemeanor: up to $500 fine, 180 days jail, or both.

Enforcement starts only with a written sworn complaint from a person who resides or owns property in the noise district the sound reaches (Section 8.80.370). Noise over the limit that can be traced to a specific facility is presumed to be a violation. The Noise Control Officer can issue an abatement order instead of a notice of violation, and no further action follows if the cause is corrected in the time given (Section 8.80.390). Conviction after a documented determination and failure to comply is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $500, up to 180 days in jail, or both, and each later day is a separate offense (Section 8.80.380). Section 8.80.410 also lets a court treat the equipment as a public nuisance and order it abated by injunction.

Bar & Nightclub Noise

Long Beach caps amplified sound inside a place of public entertainment with a sliding scale in Table D: 85 dB(A) for eight continuous hours, rising to 100 dB(A) for a quarter hour or less, measured where customers stand. A venue above those levels must post a conspicuous hearing-impairment warning sign. The rule is Municipal Code § 8.80.200(O).

Key details: Governing section: Long Beach Municipal Code § 8.80.200(O), Table D. Longest-duration cap: 85 dB(A) for 8 continuous hours per day. Shortest-duration cap: 100 dB(A) for a quarter hour or less. Where it is measured: Any point normally occupied by a customer. Required warning sign: Conspicuous, legible hearing-impairment warning where Table D is exceeded.

Enforcement starts with a documented determination by the Noise Control Officer and an abatement order or notice of violation under §§ 8.80.390 and 8.80.400. A person convicted after failing to comply is guilty of a misdemeanor under § 8.80.380, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 180 days in jail, or both. Each day the violation continues after the abatement order is a separate offense. A venue that corrects the problem within the time in the written notice faces no further action under § 8.80.390(C). Sound above the limits can also be declared a public nuisance and stopped by court injunction under § 8.80.410.

The Bottom Line

Long Beach's noise from specific sources 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 Long Beach is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Long Beach's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.