Noise Rules: Ojai vs Ventura
How do noise rules rules compare between Ojai, CA and Ventura, CA?
Ventura has fewer restrictions than Ojai.
Ojai, CA
Ventura County
STR properties in Ojai must comply with enhanced noise standards. Quiet hours are 10 PM to 7 AM. No outdoor amplified music at STRs after 9 PM. The local contact must respond to noise complaints within 30 minutes.
View full Ojai rules →Ventura, CA
Ventura County
STR guests are bound by the citywide noise ordinance at SBMC §10.650.110 et seq. SBMC §6.455.125(G)(7)–(9) requires every Ventura STR lease to flag amplified-sound rules, prohibit illegal loud parties, warn of loud-party cost recovery under §10.650.210, and recommend voluntary quiet hours of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. If the owner contractually forbids parties in that window, the $1,500 surety bond is waived.
View full Ventura rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Ojai | Ventura |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet Hours | 10 PM-7 AM | - |
| Outdoor Music Cutoff | 9 PM | - |
| Response Time | Local contact within 30 minutes | - |
| Revocation Trigger | 3 verified complaints in 12 months | - |
| Voluntary quiet hours | - | 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (SBMC §6.455.125(G)(9)) |
| Bond waiver trigger | - | Lease must formally forbid 10 p.m.–7 a.m. parties (§6.455.125(G)(9)) |
| Citywide noise rules | - | SBMC §10.650.110 et seq. (amplified sound); §10.650.210 et seq. (loud-party cost recovery) |
| Nuisance response time | - | Return call within 45 minutes; call primary occupant within 30 minutes (§§6.455.060(B), (D)) |
| Lease must include | - | Noise-ordinance notice, party prohibition, loud-party cost-recovery warning (§6.455.125(G)(7)–(8)) |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Ojai FAQ
What happens if STR guests are too loud?
Contact the local contact number posted on the property. If no response within 30 minutes, call the Sheriff at (805) 646-1414 and report to Community Development.
Can STR guests have outdoor parties?
Outdoor gatherings must end by 10 PM with no amplified music after 9 PM. Events exceeding normal residential use are prohibited.
How many complaints trigger permit loss?
Three verified noise complaints within a 12-month period triggers a permit revocation hearing before the city.
Ventura FAQ
What are quiet hours at a Ventura STR?
The ordinance recommends voluntary neighborhood quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and requires that recommendation in the lease (SBMC §6.455.125(G)(9)). If the owner instead contractually forbids parties in that window, the §6.455.050 surety bond is waived.
Can the city charge me for police calls to my STR?
Yes. SBMC §10.650.210 et seq. authorizes recovery of special enforcement costs for certain loud parties, and §6.455.125(G)(8) requires you to put that warning in the lease. The §6.455.080 surety bond pays civil penalties levied against you or your guests.
How fast must I respond to a noise complaint?
Under §6.455.060(B), 'prompt' means a return phone call to the complainant within 45 minutes. The owner or designated contact must also place a corrective call to the primary adult occupant within 30 minutes of the initial complaint (§6.455.060(D)).
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