Fullerton, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Zones covered
- C-3 and G-C commercial
- Daytime limit
- 75 dBA (5-min), 80 dBA (1-min)
- Nighttime limit
- 65 dBA (5-min), 70 dBA (1-min)
- Late-night exception
- 75/80 dBA to 1:30 a.m. Fri-Sun with permit
- Outdoor entertainment cap
- 80 dBA, 5-10 p.m. with permit
- Measurement point
- Property line of noise source
- Enforcement
- Code Enforcement Division, FMC § 15.90.070
Summary
Fullerton caps commercial noise from bars, nightclubs and outdoor entertainment in the C-3 and G-C zones under FMC § 15.90.030(B). Table 2-1 sets exterior limits of 75 dBA (5-minute) and 80 dBA (1-minute) measured at the property line, tightening to 65/70 dBA overnight unless the city has approved an entertainment permit extending hours to 1:30 a.m. Fridays through Sundays.
(B) The following noise standards, unless otherwise specifically indicated, shall apply to all property zoned C-3 and G-C: ... (2) All commercial activities, including but not limited to, outdoor dining and outdoor events and performances, shall comply with the following noise standards: ... (b) The noise limits in Table 2-1 apply to all commercial activities within the C-3 and G-C zones, including outdoor dining, amplified sound, and entertainment. Measurements are taken at the property line of the parcel where the noise originates, and compliance is determined from those measurements. Table 2-1: Exterior Noise Levels (dBA) Time Period 5 min. 1 min. 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 75 80; 10:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. 65 70; Fri-Sun 10:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.* 75 80; Outdoor Entertainment (5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.)* 80 dBA max. *Only apply when approved by the city (e.g. entertainment permit, administrative restaurant use permit, conditional use permit, or other applicable approval.) (c) A special event (approved pursuant to a permit) or city-sponsored community activities, such as New Years Eve celebrations, shall be exempt from the noise restrictions contained within § 15.90.030.
Full Breakdown
Fullerton Municipal Code § 15.90.030(B) sets a separate, higher noise ceiling for property zoned C-3 (Central Business District Commercial) and G-C (General Commercial), the zones that hold the city's bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Rather than judging noise at a neighbor's window, § 15.90.030(B)(2)(b) measures compliance at the property line of the parcel generating the sound. Table 2-1 sets the numbers: 75 dBA for any five-minute period and 80 dBA for any one-minute period between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., dropping to 65/70 dBA overnight. A venue with a city entertainment permit, administrative restaurant use permit, or conditional use permit can run outdoor entertainment up to 80 dBA between 5:00 and 10:00 p.m., and can keep the daytime 75/80 dBA levels going until 1:30 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, an exception unapproved venues do not get.
Section 15.90.030(B)(2)(c) carves out a further exemption for permitted special events and city-sponsored gatherings such as New Year's Eve celebrations, which are not held to these limits at all. Compliance is checked by the Community and Economic Development Director's Code Enforcement Division under § 15.90.070, using an ANSI-compliant sound level meter per § 15.90.060(D). Because § 15.90.030(F) confines the graduated cumulative-minutes deviations of § 15.90.030(D)-(E) to residential zones, C-3 and G-C properties are held to the flat Table 2-1 numbers with no extra tolerance for short bursts.
Repeated violations can support modification or revocation of the operator's entertainment permit or other land use entitlements under § 15.90.070(A)(2), on top of any citation.
Violations & Fines
A citation for exceeding Table 2-1 is enforced as an infraction or misdemeanor under FMC § 1.08.010: fines up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional offense, or misdemeanor prosecution carrying up to $1,000 and six months in county jail. Operators may appeal a citation to the City Council within 15 days under § 15.90.080, and repeat violations can trigger revocation of the entertainment permit under § 15.90.070(A)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Fullerton bar play music after 10 p.m.?
Where does the city measure nightclub noise?
Is outdoor entertainment noise capped differently?
What happens after repeated noise complaints against a bar?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
California rules heatmap·Compare Fullerton to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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