Decibel Limits: San Francisco vs Seattle
How do decibel limits rules compare between San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA?
Seattle has fewer restrictions than San Francisco.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco County
San Francisco Police Code Section 2909 sets specific dBA limits at the property line: 55 daytime and 50 nighttime in residential zones, scaling up to 70/65 in heavy industrial. Any source exceeding ambient by more than 5 dBA is a violation.
View full San Francisco rules →Seattle, WA
King County
Unincorporated King County adopts WAC 173-60 decibel limits: 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA nighttime for Class A residential receiving property. Higher limits apply in commercial and industrial receiving zones.
View full Seattle rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | San Francisco | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| Class A Day | - | 55 dBA (7 AM-10 PM) |
| Class A Night | - | 45 dBA (10 PM-7 AM) |
| Class B Day | - | 60 dBA commercial |
| Class C | - | 70 dBA industrial |
| Measurement | - | Receiving property line |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
San Francisco FAQ
Seattle FAQ
How loud is 55 dBA?
Roughly the sound of a typical conversation at 10 feet, or a quiet refrigerator. Normal speech is about 60 dBA, and highway traffic at 50 feet is about 70 dBA.
Can I get a King County deputy to measure decibels?
Rarely on a first complaint. Deputies typically use the plainly audible standard. Formal dBA measurements are done by Code Enforcement on repeat or commercial cases.
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