Livermore, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Livermore, 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
- LMC Sec. 9.36.090
- Daytime standard
- No louder than needed for voluntary listeners
- Nighttime hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Nighttime audibility test
- 75 feet or property line
- First offense
- Infraction, LMC Sec. 1.16.010
Summary
Livermore Municipal Code Sec. 9.36.090 bars operating a radio, phonograph or other sound device loud enough to disturb neighbors at any hour, and treats audibility at 75 feet or the property line between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. as prima facie proof of a violation.
The using or operating, or permitting to be played, used or operated, of any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants, or at any time with louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing for the persons who are in the room, vehicle or chamber in which such machine or device is operated, and who are voluntary listeners thereto... The operation of such set, instrument, phonograph, machine or device between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in such manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of either 75 feet from the source of the noise, or the property line, whichever is greater, which shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of the provisions of LMC § 9.36.040 through § 9.36.100.
Full Breakdown
36 (Noise) of the Livermore Municipal Code, regulates amplified sound equipment in two parts. Subsection A prohibits playing or operating any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other sound-producing device in a manner that disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring inhabitants, or louder than necessary for convenient hearing by voluntary listeners actually in the room, vehicle or chamber where it is played. 100. audibility test a citywide backstop standard for the whole noise chapter, not merely for radios. 3(a)) and was codified in its current form by Ordinance 1128 in 1983.
Officers do not need a decibel meter reading to cite a violation during those hours; audibility at the stated distance is enough to establish the presumption. 010, with the fine amount set by Government Code Section 36900, and a third citation for the same conduct is charged as a misdemeanor under Penal Code Section 19.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 9.36.090 is an infraction under LMC Section 1.16.010, with the fine set by Government Code Section 36900. Playing a device audibly at 75 feet or beyond the property line between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is treated as prima facie proof of the violation, and a third citation for the same conduct is a misdemeanor under Penal Code Section 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play music loudly in my backyard in Livermore during the day?
What time does Livermore's music noise curfew start?
Does the 11 p.m. audibility rule apply to more than just radios in Livermore?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Livermore
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.