Merced County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Merced County, CA, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Device rule
- No stereo/radio causing disturbance to others
- Loudspeaker/PA curfew
- Banned 10 p.m.-8 a.m. across residential line
- Disturbance threshold
- 10 dBA day / 5 dBA night above background
- Enforcer
- County noise control officer (the sheriff)
- Penalty
- Infraction first; misdemeanor if repeated within a year
Summary
Merced County's noise ordinance bars any stereo, radio or similar device from creating a noise disturbance for anyone but its operator, and flatly bans loudspeakers or PA systems from crossing a residential property line between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. under Code Section 10.60.040(B).
No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit to the following acts: 1. Operating, playing, or permitting the operation or playing of any stereo, radio, television, phonograph, or similar device that reproduces or amplifies sound in such a manner as to create a noise disturbance for any person other than the operator of the device; 2. Using or operating any loudspeaker, public address system, or similar device between ten p.m. and eight a.m. the following day, such that the sound therefrom creates a noise disturbance across a residential real property line;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
040, "Specific prohibited acts," targets amplified and mechanically reproduced sound county-wide, not just in parks. Subsection (B)(1) bars operating or playing any stereo, radio, television or phonograph in a manner that creates a "noise disturbance" for anyone other than the person running the device. the following day if the sound crosses a residential property line. 030, which caps sound at 10 dBA above background in daytime and 5 dBA above background at night, or absolute ceilings of 65 dBA Ldn (70 dBA on nonresidential property) and 75 dBA Lmax (80 dBA nonresidential).
050. 070 and can issue stop orders or seek a Superior Court abatement order under subsection (F) of that section. 040(P) confines amplified music at county park facilities to enclosed buildings unless the director of public works approves outdoor use, with denials appealable to the Board of Supervisors within five working days.
Violations & Fines
Section 10.60.070(B) treats a first violation as an infraction under Chapter 1.28, Section 1.28.030 ($100 first offense, $200 second within a year, $500 for each further violation). A second or later violation within a year of the first can instead be charged as a misdemeanor under Section 1.28.020, punishable by up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail. Each continuing day of violation is a separate offense under Section 1.28.040.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a loudspeaker at a backyard party after 10 p.m.?
Is there a decibel number for amplified music specifically?
Are county park events exempt from these limits?
Who enforces the amplified sound rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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