Upland, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Upland, 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
- Audibility threshold
- 50 feet from the source
- Also unlawful if
- heard in another residence
- Time coverage
- any hour, not just night
- Exception
- permitted city events
- Governing section
- UMC § 9.40.100(B)
Summary
Upland Municipal Code § 9.40.100(B) bans playing a radio, television, stereo, jukebox, or similar sound equipment when it is audible 50 feet or more from its source, or audible inside any other residence or establishment, regardless of the hour.
B. Radios, Televisions and Stereos. It is unlawful for any person to play, use, operate, or permit to be played, used or operated any radio, television set, musical instrument, phonograph, stereophonic equipment, jukebox or other machine or device for producing, reproducing or amplifying sound when audible at a distance of 50 feet or more from the source of the sound and/ or when audible within any other residence or establishment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
100(B), part of the city's Unnecessary Noise chapter, targets amplified sound equipment specifically: it is unlawful for any person to play, use, operate, or permit to be played, used, or operated any radio, television set, musical instrument, phonograph, stereophonic equipment, jukebox, or other machine or device for producing, reproducing, or amplifying sound when audible at a distance of 50 feet or more from the source, and/or when audible within any other residence or establishment. 040, this is a bright-line distance test: officers can enforce it by confirming audibility at 50 feet or inside a neighboring unit, without a sound-level meter.
The prohibition applies at any hour, not only at night, though Subsection (A) reduces the general decibel allowance by 5 dB(A) for repetitive or simple-tone noise, a category that can include music with a strong beat. Subsection (H) separately bars using a loudspeaker or sound amplifier cast onto public streets for commercial advertising or to attract public attention to a building. Live or amplified music for a permitted city event is exempt under Subsection (Q), which excuses conduct by participants operating under a valid city permit.
Violations & Fines
Violating the 50-foot audibility standard in Section 9.40.100(B) is a misdemeanor under Section 9.40.110: a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in city or county jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. Upland police can cite based on audibility alone, without laboratory-calibrated decibel measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far away can my stereo be heard before it violates Upland's noise code?
Does this rule apply during the day, or only at night?
Is amplified music allowed at a permitted outdoor event in Upland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
California rules heatmap·Compare Upland 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.