Riverside, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Baseline standard
- noise not unreasonably loud within 50 feet
- Outdoor amplified hours
- 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun–Thu, to midnight Fri–Sat
- Escalation trigger
- 3+ noise complaints in 30 days
- Tier 3 cap
- no outdoor entertainment at any time
- Tier 3 penalty
- violation revokes the entertainment permit
Summary
Riverside bars and nightclubs holding an entertainment permit must keep noise from being 'unreasonably loud or disturbing' within 50 feet of the premises under RMC § 5.80.080(A)(22), restrict outdoor amplified sound to set daytime and evening hours, and, after three noise complaints in 30 days, face escalating Tier 2 and Tier 3 conditions that can cut off outdoor entertainment entirely.
13.Outdoor amplified music and entertainment, if permitted, will be subject to the following restrictions: a) sound amplifying equipment may be used only between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. and midnight Friday and Saturday. ... 22.Permittee agrees that noise emanating from permittee's premises shall not be unreasonably loud or disturbing in light of the facts and circumstances then prevailing within 50 feet of the perimeter of the premises in all directions.
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
80 carries Tier 1 noise conditions automatically. m. 080(A)(13), and the permittee must keep noise from being unreasonably loud or disturbing within 50 feet of the premises perimeter in all directions, the same 50-foot standard is repeated as condition 22. New entertainment permit applicants must submit an acoustical study from a certified acoustical engineer showing the venue meets the Title 7 noise ordinance, under condition 23; a venue that held a permit within the past 12 months, or that used documented sound-mitigation construction, can request a waiver of that study under condition 24. m. , and 'all noise must be contained within the premises' with no sound audible outside the building at all.
Violations & Fines
Noise that's unreasonably loud within 50 feet of a permitted establishment, or amplified sound run outside the § 5.80.080(A)(13) hours, is a Tier 1 violation the Chief of Police can escalate to Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions. Violating Tier 3 conditions is a straight revocation of the entertainment permit under § 5.80.130(A), and a violation of Chapter 5.80 generally is charged as an infraction or misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a Riverside bar's outdoor music be?
What happens after repeated noise complaints against a Riverside nightclub?
Can Riverside revoke a bar's entertainment permit over noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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Bar & Nightclub Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle bar & nightclub noise.