Modoc County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Events (2026)

Chapter 5.20 of the Modoc County Code (Ord. 170, 1960) governs sound trucks and sound-amplifying equipment in the unincorporated county. It defines 'sound amplifying equipment' broadly (any device amplifying voice, music or other sound, excluding standard car radios heard only by occupants and emergency warning devices). Noncommercial sound trucks must file a registration statement with the County Clerk stating, among other things, the wattage, the volume in decibels, and the maximum distance the sound will carry (Section 5.20.020). Use restrictions in Section 5.20.030 are detailed: only music or human speech is permitted; sound must not be audible beyond 100 feet from the truck and must not be unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring or disturbing; equipment may not exceed 15 watts in the last stage of amplification; and sound is barred within 100 yards of hospitals, schools, churches or courthouses. Commercial advertising by sound truck requires a $25 license (Section 5.20.040) and follows the same use rules. While Chapter 5.20 is framed around vehicle-mounted equipment, it is the county's clearest amplified-sound standard. Fixed or event amplified music (parties, venues, outdoor concerts) is not separately regulated and is addressed through the public-nuisance process in Chapter 8.20 and, where a permit applies, zoning use-permit conditions limiting offensive noise.