Tulare County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Tulare 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
- Decibel limit
- 65 dB at the property boundary
- Code section
- Ord. Code 5-01-1215(b)
- Amplified device definition
- 5-01-1210(j) - speakers, PA, car audio, radios, players
- First-offense civil fine
- $1,000 (then $3,000 within 3 years)
- Criminal exposure
- Misdemeanor (5-01-1235(a))
Summary
Unincorporated Tulare County's Social Host Ordinance (Ordinance Code 5-01-1215(b)) prohibits sound from amplified sound devices from exceeding 65 decibels at the property boundary. 'Amplified sound device' is defined broadly in Section 5-01-1210(j) to include loudspeakers, PA systems, car audio, radios, and players.
'Amplified Sound Device' refers to a device whose volume is increased by any electric, electronic, mechanical, or motor-powered means, including, but not limited to, loudspeakers, public address systems, car audio systems, radios, record players, tape players, disc players, MP3 players, iPods, phones, television sets.
Full Breakdown
Amplified music in the County's unincorporated communities is regulated by the Social Host Ordinance, Article 7 of Chapter 1, Part V of the Tulare County Ordinance Code (added by Ord. 3526, amended by Ord. 3591 and 3619). ' The ordinance's findings (Section 5-01-1205) note that gatherings have increased noise complaints from 'crowds and amplified sound devices' in traditionally quiet unincorporated areas. Conduct constituting amplified-noise violations is declared a public nuisance (Section 5-01-1225) and is exempt only where protected by the First/Fourteenth Amendments or California Constitution Article I, Section 4 (Section 5-01-1211).
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 5-01-1215 is a misdemeanor under Ordinance Code Section 125 (Section 5-01-1235(a)). Civil administrative fines under Section 5-01-1235(b) are $1,000 for a first declaration of nuisance under 5-01-1215(b) and $3,000 for each subsequent declaration within three years against the same person or property. Each separate emergency response to the same noise complaint on the same date is a separate offense (Section 5-01-1230).
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can amplified music be in unincorporated Tulare County?
Does the rule cover car stereos and PA systems?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulare County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tulare County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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