Porterville, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)

Porterville Municipal Code Section 18-9 bars operating or playing any radio, phonograph, jukebox, record player, loudspeaker, musical instrument or other device that amplifies the human voice or any sound so loudly that it is calculated to disturb the peace and good order of the neighborhood, disturb sleep in nearby residences, or unreasonably interfere with neighbors' comfort. The code sets an objective trigger: if the sound from the device is plainly audible 100 feet from the building, structure or vehicle where it is playing, that alone is prima facie evidence of a violation, so officers do not need a decibel meter to write a citation.

A separate provision, Section 18-14, covers loudspeakers and outside amplifiers specifically: projecting sound outdoors from any loudspeaker or amplifier anywhere in the city is unlawful unless the operator first gets a permit from the chief of police (the code carves out an exception for sound amplified for patrons inside a theater watching a motion picture). The chief grants that permit at will, but the city council can revoke it at any time, with or without notice or a hearing, if the council decides the equipment has become objectionable; once revoked, the permit cannot be renewed except by filing a fresh application.

Both sections trace back to the original 1963 Ordinance Code (Sections 6311 and 6312). Enforcement runs through the citywide violations clause in Section 1-9, which lets the city prosecute noise violations as either a misdemeanor or, at the city attorney's discretion, a lesser infraction, and treats each day a violation continues as a separate offense.