Redondo Beach, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Interior sound cap
- 90 dBA (slow response)
- Measurement point
- Where customers normally stand
- Exception
- Posted hearing-impairment warning sign
- Adopted
- Ord. 2478 c.s., eff. Oct. 15, 1987
- Variance fee if needed
- $75 via NCO, Article 7
Summary
Redondo Beach caps sound inside any place of public entertainment at 90 dBA where customers stand, unless the venue posts a hearing-impairment warning sign at each public entrance.
The operation or playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph, drum, musical instrument, sound amplifier, or similar device which produces, reproduces, or amplifies sound in any place of public entertainment at a sound level greater than 90 dBA as read by the slow response on a sound level meter at any point which is normally occupied by a customer shall be prohibited, unless a conspicuous and legible sign is located outside such place, near each public entrance, which sign states: "Warning, Sound Levels Within May Cause Permanent Hearing Impairment."
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4889554; v14 updated 2026-05-12).
Full Breakdown
516 governs "Places of public entertainment," prohibiting the operation or playing of any radio, television, phonograph, drum, musical instrument, sound amplifier or similar device that produces, reproduces or amplifies sound above 90 dBA, measured on the slow response setting of a sound level meter, at any point normally occupied by a customer. , effective October 15, 1987. 516 instead regulates the sound level experienced by patrons inside the venue itself. 701) for operators who need relief from any chapter provision, administered by the Noise Control Officer for a $75 fee.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding 90 dBA inside a place of public entertainment without the required warning sign violates § 4-24.516 and is a misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty provision, carrying a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail, in addition to any NCO abatement order or notice of violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a decibel limit inside Redondo Beach bars and nightclubs?
Can a venue legally exceed the 90 dBA limit?
Is the 90 dBA nightclub rule the same as the neighborhood noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redondo Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Redondo Beach to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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