San Bernardino, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in San Bernardino, 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
- Daytime audibility limit
- 50 ft, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
- Nighttime audibility limit
- 25 ft, 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m.
- Repeat violation window
- 72 hours triggers citation
- In-park cap without permit
- 25 watts total output
- In-park cap with permit
- 95 dBA at 50 feet
- Penalty
- Infraction/misdemeanor, § 1.12.010
Summary
San Bernardino Municipal Code § 8.54.020(D) bans playing a radio, phonograph or other sound-amplification equipment loud enough to disturb neighbors, and sets fixed audibility limits: plainly audible at 50 feet between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., or at just 25 feet between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other sound-amplification or production equipment for producing or reproducing sound in such a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet or comfort of neighboring persons, or at any time with louder volume than is necessary for the convenient hearing of the person or persons who are in the room, vehicle or other enclosure in which such machine or device is operated, and who are voluntary listeners thereto and that is: (1) Plainly audible across property boundaries; (2) Plainly audible through partitions common to two residences within a building; (3) Plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet in any direction from the source of the music or sound between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; or (4) Plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet in any direction from the source of the music or sound between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
m. 010 states the chapter's purpose is to establish communitywide noise standards because excessive noise is detrimental to public health, safety and quality of life. 030: an officer who encounters a violation may issue a written notice demanding immediate abatement, and a second violation of the same provision by the same responsible person within 72 hours can bring a criminal citation plus confiscation and impoundment of the amplifying equipment as evidence. 130(A) caps amplified sound at events without an exclusive-use permit to 25 watts total output, and even with a permit caps it at 95 decibels measured 50 feet from the midpoint between loudspeakers.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 8.54.020's amplified-sound limits is an infraction or misdemeanor under § 8.54.080, punishable per § 1.12.010; a second violation within 72 hours under § 8.54.030 can bring a criminal citation and impoundment of the offending equipment. Exceeding the park-specific 25-watt or 95-decibel limits in § 12.80.130 is a misdemeanor under § 12.80.140.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can I play music at home in San Bernardino before it's illegal?
What happens the first time police respond to a loud music complaint?
Can I use a loudspeaker or PA system in a San Bernardino city park?
Are apartment residents protected from a neighbor's loud stereo?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.