Madera, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Madera, 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
- Amplified sound rule
- § 3-11.02(A), tied to § 3-11.01 standard
- Party hours restricted
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Prima facie party evidence
- audible 50 feet from the party
- First violation
- infraction (§ 3-11.04)
- Repeat within 12 months
- misdemeanor
- Second police response
- full cost billed to host (§ 3-11.05)
Summary
Madera's noise ordinance singles out radios, stereos, loudspeakers, drums and musical instruments that violate the general unlawful-noise standard, and separately targets house parties running amplified sound between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. that can be heard 50 feet away.
§ 3-11.02 SPECIFIC NOISE PROHIBITIONS. The following activities area specifically prohibited: (A) Operating, playing, or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, television set, loudspeaker, stereo, drum, musical instrument, or similar device which produces or reproduces sound which is in violation of the provisions of § 3-11.01 of this title.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-50: Current through Ordinance 1010 C.S., passed 6-5-24).
Full Breakdown
01's general standard: noise that is physically annoying to a person of ordinary sensitivity, or so harsh, prolonged or unusual that it injures the health, peace or comfort of residents, is unlawful, except for permitted parades, public celebrations, school sporting events and utility emergency work. 01 standard. 01 violation is itself a violation, and noise plainly audible 50 feet from the party or from inside a neighboring residence is treated as prima facie evidence against the host. 05 adds financial teeth: if police respond a second time to the same location within eight hours, the host, and the parents of a minor host, become jointly and severally liable for the full cost of that second response, including officer salary, equipment use and administrative billing, invoiced with a ten-day window to challenge the amount before the City Administrator.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Chapter 11 is an infraction under § 3-11.04. A second violation within twelve months of a prior conviction or bail forfeiture is a misdemeanor. Hosting a party that draws a second police response within eight hours also triggers full cost liability for that response under § 3-11.05.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Madera cite me for loud music from my stereo?
What happens if police come to my party twice in one night?
Is there a fixed decibel limit for amplified sound in Madera?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera
California rules heatmap·Compare Madera to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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