San Diego County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in San Diego 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
- Speaker setback (minimum)
- 200 feet from property line
- Base noise limit
- 50 dBA at property line
- Allowed hours
- 10 a.m. to legal sunset
- Karaoke
- Prohibited outright
- Above 92 dBA at 10 ft
- Requires Zoning Verification Permit
Summary
In unincorporated San Diego County, boutique and small wineries hosting outdoor amplified live music must meet a 200-foot minimum speaker setback from all property lines and hold sound to 50 dBA at the property line under the county's general noise limit.
Outdoor amplified music levels shall comply with the sound level limits at property lines as provided in the County of San Diego Code of Regulatory Ordinances, Title 3, Division 6, Chapter 4, Section 36.404, General Sound Level Limits (50 dBA at the property line). ... Amplifiers, speakers, and other music amplification devices shall adhere to a minimum 200-foot setback from all property lines.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-141: Administrative: Current through Ord. No. 11007 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26 | Regulatory: Current through Ord. No. 11008 (N.S.), effective 7-24-26).
Full Breakdown
San Diego County's Zoning Ordinance Section 6910 lets Boutique and Small Wineries in unincorporated areas host live amplified music, but only during tasting-room hours, 10 a.m. to legal sunset (until 6 p.m. Nov 1 to March 1), and karaoke is banned outright. Outdoor speakers need a minimum 200-foot setback from every property line, and Table 6910.1 pushes that setback up for any level above 75 dBA measured 10 feet from the source. A winery that can't meet those setbacks, or wants sound louder than 92 dBA at 10 feet, must get a Zoning Verification Permit backed by a site-specific acoustics study proving the county's 50 dBA property-line noise limit is met.
Violations & Fines
Live outdoor music that skips the Table 6910.1 setback/decibel limits, runs past legal sunset (6 p.m. in winter), or includes karaoke breaks the winery's Zoning Ordinance conditions; PDS Code Compliance can order a noise study or a Zoning Verification Permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule cover every outdoor concert in the county?
Can a winery play music louder than the base 50 dBA limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Diego County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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