Newport Beach, CA Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- New HVAC exterior cap
- 50 dBA, or 55 dBA with night timer
- Night shutoff window
- 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Pre-1981 equipment
- Grandfathered to 65 dBA through Jan. 1, 1998
- Governing section
- NBMC § 10.26.045
- Violation classification
- Infraction under § 10.26.075
Summary
Newport Beach caps new residential HVAC equipment at 50 dBA under Municipal Code Section 10.26.045, or 55 dBA if paired with a timer that shuts the unit off between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Units legally installed before April 22, 1981 were grandfathered to exterior limits as high as 65 dBA.
A. New HVAC Equipment. New permits for heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment in or adjacent to residential areas shall be issued only where installations can be shown by computation, based on the sound rating of the proposed equipment, not to exceed an A-weighted sound pressure level of fifty (50) DBA or not to exceed an A-weighted sound pressure level of fifty-five (55) dBA and be installed with a timing device that will deactivate the equipment during the hours of ten p.m. to seven a.m. ... B. Existing HVAC Equipment. 1. HVAC equipment legally installed prior to April 22, 1981, shall be permitted to operate with an exterior noise limit of sixty-five (65) dBA until January 1, 1998.
Full Breakdown
045 of the Community Noise Control chapter sets tiered decibel ceilings for heating, venting, and air conditioning equipment placed in or next to residential property. m. The required calculation method is the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's 1984 Standard 275, "Standard Application of Sound Rated Outdoor Unitary Equipment," or its latest revision. 030 until January 1, 1998. Equipment installed between April 22, 1981 and the chapter's 1995 adoption had to meet a fifty-five (55) dBA exterior cap during a ninety-day compliance window. 045(C) allows the exterior limit to be raised to sixty-five (65) dBA and the interior standard waived, but only if the applicant obtains the written consent of every owner of the affected neighboring properties. 025.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Chapter 10.26's HVAC standard is an infraction under Section 10.26.075, and Section 10.26.070 makes any exceedance of the numeric standard prima facie evidence of a violation, shifting the burden to the property owner. The City Code Enforcement Officer can also treat noncompliant equipment as a public nuisance under Section 10.26.080 and seek an injunction or place a lien for abatement costs against the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a new AC unit be in Newport Beach?
Is my old air conditioner exempt from the noise rule?
What if my HVAC unit can't meet the decibel limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Newport Beach to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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