Noise Ordinances in Carson, CA (2026)
10 verified noise ordinances for Carson, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Carson Municipal Code Article 4, Chapter 5 (Noise Control Ordinance) adopts Los Angeles County Code Title 12, Chapter 12.08 by reference. Nighttime quiet hours run 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (weekdays) and 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. (weekends/holidays), with stricter exterior sound level limits during those hours for residential zones.
Carson Quiet Hours (LA County Noise Ordinance Adopted by Reference)
Some RestrictionsConstruction Hours
Construction activity in Carson is governed by LA County Code §12.08.440 (adopted via CMC Art. 4 Ch. 5). Construction is generally prohibited between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, before 8:00 a.m. on Saturdays, and at any time on Sundays and federal holidays unless a special permit is issued.
Carson Construction Noise Hours
Some RestrictionsBarking Dogs
Barking dogs in Carson are regulated under LA County Code Title 10 (Animals), §10.32.010 (Noisy Animals), enforced by LA County Animal Care & Control. The standard is any animal noise that disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or person.
Carson Barking Dog / Animal Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsLeaf Blower Rules
Carson does not have a stand-alone leaf-blower ordinance. Powered lawn/garden equipment is regulated under the noise hours adopted from LA County Code §12.08 (10 p.m.-7 a.m. weekdays, 10 p.m.-8 a.m. weekends) and California's statewide small off-road engine (SORE) rules under CARB regulations (AB 1346) phasing out new gasoline-powered leaf blowers and lawn equipment sales from January 1, 2024.
Carson Leaf Blower & Powered Lawn Equipment Rules
Some RestrictionsAmplified Music & Events
Amplified music, loudspeakers, and sound trucks in Carson are regulated under LA County Code §12.08.490 (Sound Trucks and Amplified Sound) and §12.08.530 (Plainly Audible Standard), adopted by reference through CMC Art. 4 Ch. 5. Plainly-audible amplified sound from 50 feet away in residential areas is prohibited from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Carson Amplified Music & Loudspeaker Rules
Heavy RestrictionsAircraft Noise
Carson has no local aircraft noise ordinance. Federal law preempts local regulation of in-flight aircraft noise; the FAA has exclusive sovereignty over U.S. navigable airspace under 49 U.S.C. §40103, and City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal, 411 U.S. 624 (1973), struck down municipal aircraft curfews. The Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA), 49 U.S.C. §§47521–47534, further restricts local airport noise rules and requires FAA approval through the 14 CFR Part 161 process. Carson does not own or operate an airport, so it has no 'airport proprietor' authority either. Aircraft overflight from LAX, Long Beach Airport, Compton/Woodley, Hawthorne Municipal, and helicopter traffic from the LA Basin is regulated solely by FAA Order 8260, 14 CFR Part 91 Subpart I, and Stage 3/4/5 certification rules. Carson's adopted noise ordinance (LA County Code Title 12 Ch. 12.08 by reference) expressly does not apply to aircraft in flight.
Aircraft Noise — Federally Preempted (FAA / 49 U.S.C. §40103)
Few RestrictionsIndustrial Noise
Carson adopts LA County Code Title 12 Chapter 12.08 by reference (Carson Municipal Code Art. 4, Ch. 5). Under §12.08.390 and the Noise Zone designations in §12.08.380, industrial property (Zone III / M zones) has an exterior noise standard of 70 dBA at all hours, measured at the property line of the receiving property. The standard may not be exceeded by more than 5 dBA for any 15-minute cumulative period or more than 8 dBA for any 5-minute period (per the graduated overage table in §12.08.390). Where industrial sites abut residential zones (Zone I / R), the more restrictive residential standard (50 dBA day / 45 dBA night) applies at the residential receptor's property line. Stationary source air emissions from Marathon Carson and Phillips 66 LA Refinery are separately regulated by South Coast AQMD Rule 402 (Nuisance) and Rule 401 (Visible Emissions), and the SCAQMD complaint line (1-800-CUT-SMOG) handles refinery and industrial nuisance noise complaints.
Industrial Noise — 70 dBA Exterior Cap (LA County Code §12.08.390, Noise Zone III)
Some RestrictionsDecibel Limits
Carson Municipal Code Art. 4 Ch. 5 adopts LA County Code Title 12 Ch. 12.08 by reference. Section 12.08.390 sets exterior decibel standards by Noise Zone (defined in §12.08.380). Residential (Zone I): 50 dBA daytime 7 a.m.–10 p.m. / 45 dBA nighttime 10 p.m.–7 a.m. Commercial (Zone II): 65 dBA day / 60 dBA night. Industrial (Zone III): 70 dBA at all hours. The standards are measured at the property line of the receiving property. Graduated exceedance allowances (§12.08.390): base standard for 30+ min/hour; +5 dBA for 15–30 min/hr; +10 dBA for 5–15 min/hr; +15 dBA for 1–5 min/hr; +20 dBA for less than 1 min/hr; never above ambient + 20 dBA in any case. If the ambient L50 already exceeds the table value, ambient L50 becomes the baseline. Plainly-audible-from-100-feet (residential) and similar nuisance standards under §12.08.560 also apply for amplified sound, animals, and parties.
Decibel Limits — Carson Adopts LA County Code §12.08.390 (Zone I–IV)
Some RestrictionsOutdoor Music
Carson has no separate amplified-music ordinance; outdoor music is regulated through Carson's adopted noise rules (LA County Code §12.08, esp. §12.08.560) plus the city's special event permit process. Amplified sound that is plainly audible to a person of normal hearing at a distance of 50 feet or more from the source in a residential zone — or that exceeds the Zone I exterior limit of 50 dBA day / 45 dBA night at any residential property line — is a violation. Bars, restaurants, hotels, and event venues with outdoor patios must comply with the Zone II commercial limits (65 dBA day / 60 dBA night) at the property line. Carson Municipal Code Art. IX (Zoning) requires conditional use permits for live entertainment in most commercial zones, and California ABC Type 47/48 license conditions often include explicit noise limits. Special events (block parties, festivals at Veterans Park, StubHub Center / Dignity Health Sports Park) require a city special event permit and amplified sound variance.
Outdoor Music & Amplified Sound — Subject to Residential dBA Cap + 50-ft Audibility Rule
Some RestrictionsVehicle Noise
Vehicle noise on Carson streets is regulated primarily by the California Vehicle Code (state law, enforced by LA County Sheriff's Carson Station and CHP), not Carson Municipal Code. Cal. Veh. Code §27150 requires every motor vehicle to be equipped with an adequate, properly-maintained muffler in constant operation; no cutout, bypass, or similar device is permitted. Cal. Veh. Code §27151 prohibits modifying the exhaust system to amplify or increase noise above factory limits. For passenger vehicles under 6,000 lbs GVWR (other than motorcycles), the sound limit is 95 dBA tested per SAE J1169/J1492. Cal. Veh. Code §23130 sets the on-road limit by vehicle class and speed (e.g., 80 dBA for vehicles less than 6,000 lbs at greater than 35 mph). Cal. Veh. Code §27007 prohibits vehicle sound systems audible at 50 ft. Locally, LA County Code §12.08.500 (adopted by Carson) prohibits motor-vehicle-related noise on private property — including engine repair, motorboat testing, dirt-bike use — that violates residential dBA limits.
Vehicle Noise — Cal. Vehicle Code §27150–27151 + LA County Code §12.08.500
Some RestrictionsLooking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Carson city rules.
Noise Ordinances in Los Angeles County →