Los Angeles County, CA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger zone
- 65 dB CNEL and above near LAX
- Interior standard
- 45 decibels per habitable room
- Building type covered
- Group R (residential) buildings only
- Enforced by
- Public Works Building and Safety Division
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated LA County only
Summary
Los Angeles County requires new residential construction, additions, and repairs in unincorporated areas within the 65 dB CNEL noise zone around LAX to meet Title 26 sound-insulation standards before Public Works issues a building permit.
Proposed construction, additions, alterations, improvements and repairs requiring a building permit within the 65 decibel CNEL and above noise zones depicted on the most recent Quarterly Report Noise Contour Map, shall comply with such building requirements as may be specified for these zones in Title 26 (Building Code) of the County Code. No building permit shall be issued within these zones unless the covered work is in compliance with the specified Building Code requirements to the satisfaction of Public Works, Building and Safety Division.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 22.76's Noise Insulation Program applies only in the unincorporated area, not the City of Los Angeles or other cities near LAX. Any building-permit application for a Group R (residential) structure inside the 65 dB CNEL-and-above zone, mapped on the LA World Airports Quarterly Report Noise Contour Map, must meet Title 26's building requirements for that zone. Public Works' Building and Safety Division won't issue the permit otherwise. A qualified acoustical engineer retained by the applicant can certify an alternative design, but it still must achieve a 45-decibel interior standard in every habitable room.
Violations & Fines
Building and Safety Division rejects the permit application; construction, additions, or repairs on the residential structure can't proceed until the design meets the CNEL zone's sound-insulation building standards or gets certified compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule reach LAX-area homes inside the City of Los Angeles?
Can I deviate from the standard Title 26 specs for the noise zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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