San Benito County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Events (2026)

San Benito County's Noise Control Regulations (Chapter 19.39) are the primary tool for amplified-music and amplified-sound complaints in the unincorporated county. Loudspeakers, sound systems, live bands, and similar amplified sources are subject to the general prohibition in Section 19.39.020 ('no person shall unreasonably make, continue, or cause to be made or continued, any noise disturbance') and to the objective limits in Section 19.39.030 ('Maximum Permissible Sound Pressure Levels'), which a deputy or code officer measures at the affected property line. The chapter contains a narrow free-speech carve-out: unamplified, non-commercial public speaking and public-assembly activities conducted at conversational voice levels on any public property or public right-of-way are exempt if that level is not plainly audible beyond 100 feet and does not infringe on others' legitimate rights - note that this exemption is written for unamplified speech, not amplified music. Because the County could not be reached for the verbatim decibel figures, residents should confirm the exact night/day limits in Section 19.39.030 before relying on a number. Beyond the noise chapter, recurring or large outdoor events with amplified music in the unincorporated county - winery and tasting-room events, ranch weddings, and similar gatherings around Tres Pinos, Paicines, Cienega (a recognized wine area), and the San Benito wine country - are typically regulated through the Resource Management Agency's land-use entitlements (use permits, temporary-use or special-event permits) with site-specific conditions on amplified-sound levels, setbacks, and cutoff times. Those permit conditions operate alongside, and can be stricter than, the baseline noise chapter. Inside the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista, the city's own amplified-sound and noise ordinances apply (Hollister Municipal Code Chapter 8.28), and event permitting goes through the city.