Riverside, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Noise Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential cap
- 55 dBA day / 45 night
- Industrial cap
- 70 dBA
- Measured at
- Complainant's property line
- Cooling equipment
- Regulated, not exempt
- First-offense fine
- $500
Summary
The City's noise ordinance caps exterior sound at 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA at night at a residential property line. Unlike Riverside County, the City does not exempt cooling equipment: air conditioners and refrigeration devices are named, regulated noise sources.
Where the intruding noise source is an air-conditioning unit or refrigeration system which was installed prior to the effective date of this chapter, the exterior noise level when measured at the property line shall not exceed sixty dBA for units installed before 1-1-80 and fifty-five dBA for units installed after 1-1-80.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
Table 7.25.010A of the Riverside Municipal Code sets exterior noise standards by the receiving property's land use category: residential 55 dBA daytime (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and 45 dBA at night, and 70 dBA for industrial (BMP, I, AIR). Section 7.20.010 measures sound at the complainant's property line closest to the source, so a data center abutting homes must hold cooling and generator noise to 55/45 dBA at the residential line. Section 7.10.070 defines a fixed noise source to include air conditioners, refrigeration devices, pumps, fans, and compressors, and Section 7.25.010(D) caps AC and refrigeration noise at the property line. Cooling noise is directly regulated here, not exempt.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the exterior limits at a neighboring property line is enforced by Code Enforcement and the Riverside Police Department. Fines run $500 for a first violation, $750 for a second within 180 days, and $1,000 thereafter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a Riverside data center be near homes?
Does Riverside exempt data center cooling equipment from noise rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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Data Center Noise Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle data center noise limits.