Simi Valley, CA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Simi Valley, CA, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Weeknight window
- 10 p.m.-7 a.m. Sun-Thu
- Weekend window
- 11 p.m.-7 a.m. Fri-Sat
- Violation type
- misdemeanor per day
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 6 months jail
- Overlay zone exemption
- never covers barking dogs
- Governing code
- SVMC § 5-16.02(e)
Summary
Simi Valley treats a barking dog that disturbs neighbors between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday, as a public nuisance under Municipal Code § 5-16.02(e). The keeper faces a misdemeanor charge for each day the barking continues, and the City's animal overlay zone exemption never applies to barking dogs.
The following acts are hereby expressly declared to be nuisances, and any person maintaining or permitting such nuisances, or any of them, to be maintained or to exist in or on his premises, whether as owner, lessee, or otherwise, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor for each day during which such nuisance shall be permitted to be continued: ... (e)Noises by animals, birds, and fowl. The keeping or harboring of any animal, bird, fowl, reptile, or insect which emits between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Friday or Saturday and between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday any unreasonable sound or cry which disturbs or may disturb the peace and comfort or repose of the residents of the neighborhood or area in which such animal, bird, fowl, reptile, or insect is located or kept. Except for barking dogs, this subsection shall not apply in the animal overlay zones to animals permitted therein; ... (k)Continuation of conduct prohibited by this section after notification by a Peace Officer that the activity is unlawful shall be prima facie evidence of malicious and willful intent.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
Simi Valley's noise nuisance chapter names animal noise specifically at Municipal Code § 5-16.02(e), tucked inside the broader "Unlawful acts: Public nuisances" section that opens Chapter 16 of Title 5. The rule targets "the keeping or harboring of any animal, bird, fowl, reptile, or insect" that emits an unreasonable sound during the nighttime disturbance window: 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. A dog, rooster, or other animal that disturbs "the peace and comfort or repose of the residents of the neighborhood" during those hours is declared a public nuisance outright.
The ordinance carves out the City's animal overlay zones, where livestock and other animals are permitted under a separate zoning overlay, but the carve-out has a specific limit: "Except for barking dogs, this subsection shall not apply in the animal overlay zones to animals permitted therein." A rooster crowing in an overlay zone gets a pass; a barking dog in that same zone does not.
Because the section sits within Chapter 16's general nuisance framework, the opening paragraph's penalty language applies: maintaining the nuisance "shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor for each day during which such nuisance shall be permitted to be continued." Under the Code's general penalty section, § 1-2.02, a misdemeanor conviction citywide carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in County Jail, or both. Section 5-16.02(k) adds an enforcement trigger: once a Peace Officer notifies the dog's keeper that the barking is unlawful, continuing it becomes "prima facie evidence of malicious and willful intent," strengthening the City's case for citation or nuisance abatement.
Violations & Fines
Each day a barking dog nuisance continues is a separate misdemeanor under § 5-16.02, punishable under § 1-2.02 by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in County Jail, or both. Continuing to allow the barking after a Peace Officer's notice is treated as prima facie evidence of malicious and willful intent under § 5-16.02(k), which can support enhanced citation or a nuisance abatement referral by Code Enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is barking during the day illegal in Simi Valley?
Does the animal overlay zone exemption cover barking dogs?
What happens if I ignore a warning about my dog barking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Simi Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Simi Valley to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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How other cities in Ventura County handle barking dogs.