Standby and portable generators in unincorporated San Bernardino County must meet Title 8 limits (45 dBA night residential). PSPS and emergency use is exempt. SCAQMD Rule 1470 permits stationary units over 50 hp.
Generator noise regulation in unincorporated San Bernardino County applies in layers. Under Title 8 Division 3, a residential standby generator (whole-house natural gas units like Generac or Kohler) must keep sound at or below 55 dBA during day hours and 45 dBA at night at the nearest residential property line. Modern 20-22 kW home standby units rated around 65 dB at 23 feet typically comply when set back 10-20 feet from the lot line with a baffle or sound-deadening enclosure. Portable gas and diesel generators used for RV camping, desert events, and temporary power are louder (70-85 dB at 7 feet) and frequently violate at the property line. During Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) declared by Southern California Edison and in emergency-declared outages (common in the mountain and desert fire zones), reasonable generator use is effectively tolerated. Stationary generators over 50 horsepower require South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1470 permits limiting operating hours, typically 50 hours per year for non-emergency use, plus particulate and NOx controls. Data center, warehouse, and cell-tower backup generators are a growing complaint source in the Inland Empire.
Generator exceeding 45 dBA at night: Title 8 citation. Stationary generator over 50 hp without SCAQMD Rule 1470 permit: air district enforcement with significant penalties. Routine non-emergency use exceeding 50 hours annually: SCAQMD violation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Rialto, CA
Rialto requires permits for walls taller than 42 inches and building permits for all masonry and retaining walls. Block walls get three city inspections, and...
Rialto, CA
Barbed wire and razor wire are prohibited in all Rialto residential zones, and no sharp points may top any fence under six feet. City design standards also r...
Rialto, CA
Rialto caps household pets at four weaned dogs and cats combined, and no more than three of them may be dogs. The limit appears in Rialto Municipal Code Sect...
Rialto, CA
Backyard fires in Rialto are legal only as contained cooking or warming fires burning clean fuels such as propane, natural gas, charcoal, or untreated wood. ...
Rialto, CA
Removing a street or parkway tree requires prior written permission from the public services director, and the city's published criteria allow removal only o...
Rialto, CA
Rialto has no cryptocurrency-mining ordinance and no energy cap. A commercial mining facility is treated as an industrial use in the M-1 or M-2 manufacturing...
See how Rialto's generator noise rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.