Redding, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Redding, 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
- Redding Municipal Code § 2.56.060
- Permit required
- Park facilities reservation permit for amplified sound
- Volume cap
- 75 decibels at 50 yards from the source
- Allowed hours
- 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Waiver available
- Director may allow louder or later on request
Summary
Redding Municipal Code § 2.56.060 requires a park facilities reservation permit for any amplified speech or music in a city park, caps volume at 75 decibels measured 50 yards out, and confines that amplified sound to the hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. absent a special waiver.
A.Within any park facility, except in connection with a city event, no person shall use sound amplification equipment without a park facilities reservation permit from the director. All sound amplification of speech or music of whatever type or kind is prohibited within the confines of park facilities; provided, that between the hours of eleven a.m. and ten p.m. sound amplification shall be permitted up to a maximum volume level of seventy-five decibels of sound registered at a distance of fifty yards from the amplification source, as measured on a sound level meter meeting the requirements of the American National Standards Institute, Standard S1.4-1971, for sound level meters, which has its frequency weighting network set for the 'A' weighting and slow response. The director or their agent may permit sound amplification exceeding seventy-five decibels and outside of the hours of eleven a.m. and ten p.m. upon request and dependent on the conditions.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 48).
Full Breakdown
56. m. The director retains discretion to approve amplification louder than 75 decibels or outside that time window on a case-by-case basis, depending on the conditions of the request. A standard car radio heard only by the vehicle's own occupants is expressly carved out of the definition of 'sound amplification' and is not restricted by this section. 060, tying the two sections together as a single enforceable standard rather than two separate rules.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the park amplified-sound rule is enforced the same way as any other Chapter 10.20 park violation: criminally under Chapter 1.12, administratively under Chapters 1.13 through 1.15, or by a civil action the city attorney files in Shasta County Superior Court under § 10.20.200. Absent a more specific penalty, the citywide default in § 1.12.020 applies, meaning a misdemeanor conviction can draw a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail, or an infraction fined $100 for a first offense, rising to $500 for a third within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to play music through speakers at a Redding park?
How loud can amplified music be at a Redding park?
Can the city allow louder or later amplified sound at a park event?
Does playing a car radio in a park parking lot count as amplified sound?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redding
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