Riverside County, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Night curfew
- 10 p.m.-8 a.m.
- Daytime limit
- not audible past 100 ft
- Coverage
- unincorporated area only
- Enforcement
- sheriff and code enforcement
- First fine
- $500 minimum
Summary
In unincorporated Riverside County, a generator can't be audible inside a neighbor's home between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., or heard from more than 100 feet away at any other hour, under the county noise ordinance's power-equipment standard.
No person shall operate any power tools or equipment between the hours of ten p.m. and eight a.m. such that the power tools or equipment are audible to the human ear inside an inhabited dwelling other than a dwelling in which the power tools or equipment may be located. No person shall operate any power tools or equipment at any other time such that the power tools or equipment are audible to the human ear at a distance greater than one hundred (100) feet from the power tools or equipment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9.52's special sound-source standards regulate 'power tools or equipment,' language broad enough to cover portable and standby generators. Between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., a generator can't be audible to the human ear inside any inhabited dwelling other than the one it serves. At any other hour, it can't be heard more than 100 feet away. These curfew and distance limits sit on top of the chapter's general decibel table and apply only in the unincorporated county. Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula and the county's other cities set their own noise rules.
Violations & Fines
A first or second violation within 180 days is an infraction with a mandatory $500, then $750, minimum fine. A third violation in that period is a misdemeanor: up to $1,000 or six months in jail. Each day counts separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a generator overnight during a power outage in unincorporated Riverside County?
Does this limit apply inside the city of Riverside?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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