South Gate, CA Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Audibility limit
- 225 feet from source
- At 10 feet
- 70 dB ceiling
- At 35 feet
- 58 dB ceiling
- Private-property noise
- Governed by Ch. 11.34 instead
Summary
South Gate caps how far a radio, car stereo, or other entertainment device's noise can carry: audible past 225 feet, or over a sliding decibel scale, is a violation.
Any portable noise emission created by a radio, television, record player, tape or video recorder, or other electronic entertainment device, regardless of whether its power supply is fixed or portable, which can be heard at a distance of greater than two hundred twenty-five feet from the source, or which exceeds a "slowed" response decibel measurement set forth below at the distance identified adjacent thereto. If the person is the following distance from the noise source
The average decibel reading should not exceed the following 10 feet 70 Db 15 feet 68 Db 20 feet 65 Db 25 feet 62 Db 30 feet 60 Db 35 feet 58 Db
(c) Standard for Loud Parties or Gatherings. Any portable noise emission which emanates from a party or gathering of two or more people that can be heard at a distance of thirty feet from the boundary of the property where such party or gathering is held. (Ord. 1815 § 1 (part), 5-22-1989; Ord. 1951 § 2, 6-22-1993; Ord. 2011 § 1 Exh. A (part), 8-27-1996)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4847832; v1 updated 2026-05-12; through 05-12-2026).
Full Breakdown
South Gate's portable-noise ordinance targets sound from radios, TVs, record players, tape or video recorders, and similar entertainment devices, whether their power supply is fixed or portable (SGMC § 7.44.020). A device violates the code if it can be heard more than 225 feet away, or if it exceeds a sliding decibel ceiling: 70 dB at 10 feet, down to 58 dB at 35 feet. This chapter governs devices on public property, quasi-public property, or run by someone without the property owner's control; noise from a resident's own property, including car-stereo bass at home, instead falls under Title 11's zoning-based Noise Control Program, which caps residential noise at 50 dBA daytime and 40 dBA at night (§ 11.34.080).
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 225-foot audibility or decibel-by-distance standard is a misdemeanor, punished under Chapter 1.56, with each hour of violation counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is loud bass from a car stereo illegal in South Gate?
Does the same rule apply to music played at home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Gate
California rules heatmap·Compare South Gate to another location·View the California noise from specific sources overview
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Low-Frequency Bass Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle low-frequency bass limits.