Noise Ordinances in San Leandro, CA (2026)
10 verified noise ordinances for San Leandro, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
San Leandro Municipal Code Article 11 (Noise Ordinance) prohibits disturbing noise at all hours, with hard nighttime cutoffs of 9:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. for engines and equipment, and 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. for stereos, instruments, and TVs that are plainly audible at 50 feet.
San Leandro Quiet Hours (9 p.m.-8 a.m. weekdays / 10 p.m.-8 a.m. for music)
Some RestrictionsConstruction Hours
San Leandro Municipal Code §4-1-1115(b) restricts construction adjacent to or across the street from a residential use to 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. No construction is allowed on federal holidays.
San Leandro Construction Hours (7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. weekends, no federal holidays)
Some RestrictionsBarking Dogs
San Leandro Municipal Code §4-11-435 prohibits any owner or keeper from knowingly permitting a dog or other animal to disturb a neighbor's peace and quiet by barking or other sound. The Noise Ordinance §4-1-1115(a) adds a broader, intent-based animal-noise prohibition.
San Leandro Barking Dog / Animal Noise Rule (§4-11-435 + §4-1-1115(a))
Some RestrictionsLeaf Blower Rules
San Leandro has no local leaf blower ordinance. State law - California AB 1346 (2021) and the California Air Resources Board's Small Off-Road Engine (SORE) regulation - bans the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers in California for model year 2024 and later, but does not prohibit using existing equipment.
San Leandro Leaf Blowers - No Local Ordinance (California AB 1346 / CARB SORE Rule Controls)
Few RestrictionsCal. Health & Safety Code § 41015 (AB 1346, 2021)
small off-road engines, as defined by the state board. The bill would require the state board to identify and, to the extent feasible, make available funding for commercial rebates or similar incentive funding as part of any updates to existing applicable funding program guidelines to local air pollution control districts and air quality management districts to implement to support the transiti...
Amplified Music & Events
San Leandro Municipal Code §4-1-1115(d) bans amplifiers, loudspeakers, phonographs, and electronic instruments in public streets, parks, and open areas between 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. §4-1-1115(e)(3) prohibits loudspeakers and public address systems between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. elsewhere when they disturb neighbors.
San Leandro Amplified Music / Loudspeakers (10 p.m.-9 a.m. in public spaces, 10 p.m.-8 a.m. elsewhere)
Heavy RestrictionsAircraft Noise
In-flight aircraft noise is federally preempted (FAA). San Leandro Municipal Code Article 11 (§4-1-1120) exempts activity regulated by state/federal law. The City's General Plan Noise Element uses the State 65 dB CNEL contour from Oakland International Airport (OAK) and Hayward Executive Airport for land-use compatibility.
Aircraft Noise — Oakland Int'l Overflights; Federal Preemption; 65 CNEL Contour
Few RestrictionsIndustrial Noise
San Leandro Municipal Code §4-1-1115 makes any noise exceeding the ambient on adjoining property by more than 5 decibels a violation. Article 11 contains no numeric dBA caps by zone — industrial noise is regulated through the nuisance/ambient-plus-5 standard plus the Zoning Code's Airport Safety / Industrial-district performance rules.
Industrial Noise — 5 dB Above Ambient at Property Line; No Numeric Day/Night Caps
Some RestrictionsDecibel Limits
San Leandro is unusual among Bay Area cities: SLMC Article 11 sets only one numeric noise threshold — 5 decibels above ambient at the complainant's property line. There is no day/night dBA table by zoning category in the Municipal Code; planning-level standards live in the General Plan.
Decibel Limits — 'Ambient + 5 dB' Standard; No Tabular dBA Caps
Few RestrictionsOutdoor Music
SLMC §4-1-1115 prohibits use of any loudspeaker, loudspeaker system, public address or similar device between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. when it disturbs neighboring residents, and bars band or orchestral concerts and electronic equipment use in parks during nighttime hours. Daytime amplified events require an exception permit under §4-1-1125 (Chapter 4-20).
Outdoor Music & Amplified Sound — Loudspeakers Banned 10 p.m.–8 a.m. Unless Permitted
Some RestrictionsVehicle Noise
Vehicle exhaust and muffler noise on public roads is regulated by California Vehicle Code §§27150–27159 (preempting local rules). San Leandro Municipal Code §4-1-1115 separately bars sustained automobile/motorcycle repair, testing, modification, or operation between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. unless inside a sound-insulated structure.
Vehicle Noise — State-Preempted; Local Repair/Idle Rules at Night
Some RestrictionsLooking for Alameda County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Leandro city rules.
Noise Ordinances in Alameda County →