Sacramento County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Sacramento 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
- Governing section
- § 9.36.072, adopted 1971, amended 1988
- Applies to
- County park facilities only
- Trigger
- Amplified sound above Chapter 6.68 exterior limits
- Permit issuer
- Director, Department of Regional Parks
- Penalty
- Administrative fine per § 9.36.049 fee schedule
- Fine authority section
- § 9.36.050(C), amended January 9, 2024
Summary
In any Sacramento County park facility, running sound amplification equipment louder than the noise levels set in Chapter 6.68 requires a permit from the Regional Parks Director. Section 9.36.072 makes unpermitted amplified sound in a park a licensing violation, and Section 9.36.050(C) backs it with an administrative fine set by the department's fee schedule.
Within any park facility, no person shall use sound amplification equipment in excess of the noise levels provided by Chapter 6.68 of this Code without a permit from the Director. ... When a permit is not obtained for Amplified Sound pursuant to Section 9.36.072, persons will be subject to an administrative fine for Non-Permitted Use for Amplified Sound as established pursuant to Section 9.36.049 Schedule of Fees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4941150; v18 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
36 (Park Regulations), applies only within the boundaries of a County park facility, not to private yards or businesses elsewhere in the unincorporated area. ) exterior limit must first obtain a permit from the Director of the Department of Regional Parks. Below those levels no permit is needed. The rule was adopted in 1971 (SCC 36 § 2) and amended in 1988 (SCC 0713 § 5) to add the cross-reference to the noise chapter. 049 fee schedule and can change without a code amendment, so the applicable fine should be confirmed with Regional Parks before an event.
050 was last amended January 9, 2024 (SCC 1731), the same amendment that added the parallel bounce-house permit fine in subsection (D), showing the county actively updates its park-permit fine structure.
Violations & Fines
Using amplified sound above the Chapter 6.68 exterior limits in a County park without a Director-issued permit triggers an administrative fine under § 9.36.050(C), billed per the § 9.36.049 fee schedule rather than prosecuted as a criminal case. Department of Regional Parks staff and park rangers can also require the equipment be shut off or the event permit revoked; a valid permit holder retains priority of use over an unpermitted user under § 9.36.051.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to play amplified music in a Sacramento County park?
What happens if I use a speaker system in a park without a permit?
Does this rule apply outside County parks, like at a house party in the unincorporated area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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