Noise Ordinances in Tulare, CA (2026)
10 verified noise ordinances for Tulare, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Tulare Municipal Code Chapter 6.40 (Noise) does NOT contain a typical daytime/nighttime exterior decibel table for residential property. General loud-noise complaints are enforced under Tulare M.C. § 7.28.030, which declares it a nuisance to operate any device, instrument, vehicle, or machinery that creates loud or unusual noise disturbing reasonable persons of normal sensitivity. Chapter 6.40 itself focuses on policy (§ 6.40.010), definitions (§ 6.40.020), special restrictions (§ 6.40.030), schools/hospitals/churches (§ 6.40.040), and amplified sound (§§ 6.40.050, 6.40.071). State law (Cal. Civil Code § 3479) backstops as a private nuisance.
No general residential quiet-hours decibel schedule; noise regulated as a nuisance
Some RestrictionsConstruction Hours
Tulare Municipal Code does NOT contain a dedicated construction-hours ordinance setting permissible weekday or Sunday hours (unlike many California cities that limit construction to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays). Chapter 6.40 (Noise) covers policy, definitions, special restrictions, schools/hospitals/churches, and amplified sound, but no construction-specific schedule. Construction noise that disturbs neighbors is cited under § 7.28.030 (nuisance) and Chapter 6.40 special restrictions (§ 6.40.030). Tulare County General Plan Noise Element provides countywide guidance but is policy, not enforceable code.
No codified construction-hours window; enforced via general nuisance
Few RestrictionsBarking Dogs
Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.210 (Animal nuisances prohibited) makes it unlawful for any owner to permit an animal to obstruct the reasonable and comfortable use of property in any neighborhood or community by chasing vehicles, molesting passersby, barking, howling, or making other noise. Any violation is expressly declared to be a public nuisance. This complements the general nuisance declaration in § 7.28.030 and the Tulare Animal Ordinance in Chapter 6.12.
Barking and howling dogs declared a public nuisance under § 6.12.210
Some RestrictionsLeaf Blower Rules
Tulare Municipal Code does NOT contain a leaf-blower-specific ordinance restricting hours, decibel level, or gasoline-engine use. Unlike many coastal California cities (e.g., Palo Alto, Beverly Hills), Tulare's Chapter 6.40 (Noise) does not single out powered landscape equipment. Leaf-blower noise complaints are evaluated under Tulare M.C. § 7.28.030 (general nuisance — loud or unusual noise disturbing reasonable persons). California has banned the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines (SORE) including leaf blowers via AB 1346 / CARB regulations effective 2024, but use of pre-existing equipment remains legal statewide.
No leaf-blower-specific ordinance; covered by general nuisance
Few RestrictionsAmplified Music & Events
Tulare Municipal Code § 6.40.071 sets specific decibel limits on amplified sound. Amplified sound on property shall not exceed 70 decibels between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (implicitly prohibited or further restricted outside those hours). Activities permitted under Chapter 8.70 (parades, community events) may reach 85 decibels. Sound from amplification equipment at city parks and facilities, measured within 100 feet of the source, shall not exceed 85 decibels. Failure of an event sponsor to enforce these limits can trigger forced curtailment by Tulare Police, citation, or forfeiture of facility-use deposits. Amplified-sound permits are issued under § 6.40.050.
Amplified sound capped at 70 dB (6 a.m.-10 p.m.); 85 dB for events under § 6.40.071
Some RestrictionsAircraft Noise
Aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by federal law (City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal, 411 U.S. 624). Tulare Municipal Code Chapter 6.40 cannot regulate flight operations at Mefford Field (KTLR). Airport-proprietor noise-compatibility planning runs through the FAA Part 150 process and Caltrans Aeronautics' Airport Noise Program (Cal. Pub. Util. Code Div. 9 / 21 CCR §§ 5000 et seq.).
Aircraft noise: federally preempted at Mefford Field (KTLR)
Few RestrictionsIndustrial Noise
Industrial and commercial noise is regulated by Tulare Municipal Code Chapter 6.40 (Noise), the Title 10 zoning performance standards, and the general nuisance ordinance at Chapter 7.28. Agricultural processing — dairy parlors, packing houses, gins — is largely shielded from nuisance suits by California's Right-to-Farm Act (Civ. Code §3482.5).
Industrial noise: Chapter 6.40 standards plus zoning performance and Right-to-Farm carve-out
Some RestrictionsDecibel Limits
Tulare Municipal Code §6.40.071 caps amplified sound at 70 dBA at the property line of any affected property between 6 AM and 10 PM. Sound amplification at city parks and city facilities is measured within 100 feet of the source and may not exceed 85 dBA; permitted Chapter 8.70 parade/community events share the 85 dBA ceiling.
Decibel limits: 70 dBA amplified sound (6 AM–10 PM); 85 dBA at city park events
Some RestrictionsOutdoor Music
Outdoor amplified music is regulated by Tulare Municipal Code §6.40.071: a 70 dBA limit at the property line of any affected property between 6 AM and 10 PM. City parks and city facilities have an 85 dBA cap measured within 100 feet of the source. Parades and permitted community events run under Chapter 8.70 and share the 85 dBA ceiling.
Outdoor music: 70 dBA cap (6 AM–10 PM); 85 dBA at city parks; permits via Chapter 8.70
Some RestrictionsVehicle Noise
Motor-vehicle noise on public streets is preempted by California Vehicle Code §§27150–27159 (mufflers) and §23130 (vehicle noise limits). California Air Resources Board / CHP enforce a 95 dBA aftermarket-exhaust limit. Tulare's Chapter 6.40 can address parked-vehicle stereos, idling, and off-road vehicles on private property.
Vehicle noise on public roads is governed by California Vehicle Code, not local ordinance
Some RestrictionsLooking for Tulare County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tulare city rules.
Noise Ordinances in Tulare County →