Santa Monica, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Santa Monica, 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
- Park/beach curfew (weekdays)
- No amplified sound after 10 p.m. or before 7 a.m.
- Park/beach curfew (weekends)
- No amplified sound after 10 p.m. or before 8 a.m.
- Sidewalk curfew (Zone I)
- No amplified sound after 10 p.m.
- Moving amplified sound (Zone I)
- Prohibited after 8 p.m.
- Repeat performer cap
- 45-minute limit on 3rd–7th day within same 7-day period
Summary
No one may use sound amplifying equipment or play a musical instrument in public parks, beaches, or recreational facilities after 10 p.m. on weekdays or before 7 a.m. (8 a.m. weekends), unless they hold a City community event permit.
§ 4.12.100. Restrictions in public parks, beaches, or recreational facilities. (a) No person shall use or operate sound amplifying equipment or play any musical instrument after ten p.m. and before seven a.m. on weekdays or eight a.m. on weekends in or upon any public park, beach, or recreational facility owned or maintained by the City of Santa Monica. (b) This Section shall not prohibit any person from playing any musical instrument or using or operating sound amplifying equipment if granted permission by the City to play or perform in or upon a public park, beach, or other recreational facility owned or maintained by the City pursuant to a community event permit. (c) If a person with a community event permit plays any musical instrument or uses or operating sound amplifying equipment at the same location or within five hundred feet of the same location in or upon any public park, beach, or recreational facility within Noise Zone I on more than two days in any seven-day period, the person shall be limited to...no longer than a single forty-five minute period.
Full Breakdown
The restriction applies to all City-owned or City-maintained parks, beaches, and recreational facilities. A community event permit provides an exemption. Additionally, on public sidewalks in Noise Zone I (residential), amplified sound is prohibited after 10 p.m. Moving (non-stationary) amplified sound use is prohibited in Noise Zone I after 8 p.m. Repeat performers at the same location more than twice in a week face a 45-minute cap on their third through seventh performance day.
Violations & Fines
Violations are an infraction (up to $250) or misdemeanor (up to $500 or 6 months jail). Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play guitar on the beach at midnight?
Does a band with a community event permit have to follow these rules?
What about a street musician with a battery-powered amp in a residential neighborhood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Monica
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Monica to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.