Noise Ordinances in Chico, CA (2026)
10 verified noise ordinances for Chico, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 9.38 sets dB-based limits at the property line. On residential property the cap is 70 dBA daytime (7 a.m.–9 p.m.) and 60 dBA nighttime (9 p.m.–7 a.m.). A separate 'general noise' rule under §9.38.052 prohibits any unreasonable noise at any time without needing a sound-level meter.
Chico Quiet Hours — 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Residential 60 dBA Night Limit)
Some RestrictionsConstruction Hours
Under CMC §9.38.060 categorical exemptions, construction is permitted 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. For new residential development and for work in commercial/industrial zones, an extended summer window (June 15–Sept 15) allows a 6 a.m. start on non-Sunday/holiday days. Construction equipment must stay under 83 dBA at 25 ft and 86 dBA at the property line.
Chico Construction Hours — 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Weekdays, Extended Summer Hours June 15–Sept 15
Some RestrictionsBarking Dogs
Barking dogs are regulated under Title 7 (not Title 6) of the Chico Municipal Code. CMC §7.08.120 declares howling, barking, or unusual noises that disturb a neighborhood a public nuisance. Chico Animal Services uses a structured process: a 7-day Notice of Violation, then a complainant-completed barking log, then an administrative citation ($75 / $150 / $300).
Chico Barking Dog Rule — 7-Day Warning + Complainant Log (CMC §7.08.120)
Some RestrictionsLeaf Blower Rules
Chico Municipal Code Ch. 9.38 contains no leaf-blower-specific time or gas-engine ban. Leaf blowers are regulated under the general residential noise caps in CMC §9.38.030 — 70 dBA at the property line 7 a.m.–9 p.m., 60 dBA 9 p.m.–7 a.m. — and the §9.38.052 unreasonable-noise standard. California Title 24 / CARB small off-road engine rules apply at the equipment level.
Chico Leaf Blowers — No Hour Ban; 70/60 dBA Property-Line Cap Applies
Few RestrictionsAmplified Music & Events
Amplified sound at public-property special events requires a permit application filed at least 14 days in advance (CMC §9.38.080). Vehicle-mounted sound systems are banned if audible more than 50 ft in public parks/parking lots or 25 ft on private property. Outside permitted events, residential 70/60 dBA limits and the §9.38.052 unreasonable-noise rule apply.
Chico Amplified Music — 14-Day Permit for Public Events; 25–50 ft Vehicle Rule
Some RestrictionsAircraft Noise
Chico has no local aircraft-noise ordinance. Aircraft in flight are exclusively regulated by the FAA under federal law (49 U.S.C. §40103), which preempts municipal noise rules. Chico Municipal Airport (CIC) operations are governed by FAA Part 150 framework. Chico's noise chapter (CMC Ch. 9.38) regulates ground-based human, machine, animal and device sources — it does not list aircraft as a regulated source.
Aircraft noise — federal preemption; no Chico CMC limit
Few RestrictionsIndustrial Noise
Chico Municipal Code §9.38.040 caps noise from any commercial or industrial property at 70 dBA, measured at any point outside the property plane — a single flat limit with no day/night split. Construction is treated separately under §9.38.060(B) with a higher 83 dBA equipment / 86 dBA property-plane allowance during permitted hours.
Industrial noise — 70 dBA at property plane (CMC §9.38.040)
Some RestrictionsDecibel Limits
Chico sets explicit, meter-enforceable dBA limits by property type. Residential (CMC §9.38.030): 70 dBA day (7 a.m.–9 p.m.) / 60 dBA night (9 p.m.–7 a.m.) at the property plane, plus a 60 dBA interior limit in multifamily units. Commercial/industrial (§9.38.040): 70 dBA flat. Public property (§9.38.050): 60 dBA at 25 feet from source.
Decibel limits — 70 dBA day / 60 dBA night at property plane (CMC §9.38.030)
Some RestrictionsOutdoor Music
Amplified outdoor music in Chico is bounded by the dBA limits in §§9.38.030–9.38.050 unless the public works director issues a special-event permit under CMC §9.38.080. Applications must be filed at least 14 days before the event, and permitted noise cannot exceed the public-property baseline (60 dBA at 25 ft).
Outdoor music & amplified sound — special event permit required (CMC §9.38.080)
Heavy RestrictionsVehicle Noise
CMC §9.38.056 regulates vehicle sound systems and horns. Sound amplification audible >50 ft from a vehicle on public property (other than a highway), or >25 ft / beyond the property line on private property, is prohibited. Vehicle horns may not be sounded when at rest absent imminent danger. Highway vehicle noise is governed by the California Vehicle Code (preempted from local meter limits).
Vehicle noise — sound systems, horns, bicycles (CMC §9.38.056)
Some RestrictionsLooking for Butte County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chico city rules.
Noise Ordinances in Butte County →