Monterey County, CA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Monterey County, CA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Daytime Device Limit
- Sec. 10.60.030 (50-ft measurement)
- Nighttime Limit
- Sec. 10.60.040 (45 Leq / 65 max)
- Fixed Construction Curfew
- None in Ch. 10.60
- Project Hours
- Set by Conditions of Approval
- Grading
- County Code Ch. 16.08
Summary
Monterey County Code Chapter 10.60 sets no fixed daytime construction curfew. Construction equipment is subject to the device limit in Sec. 10.60.030 (any time of day) and to the Sec. 10.60.040 nighttime standards. Construction-hour limits are usually imposed as project Conditions of Approval and on grading permits under County Code Chapter 16.08.
At any time of the day, it is prohibited within the unincorporated area of the County of Monterey to operate ... any machine, mechanism, device, or contrivance which produces a noise level exceeding eighty-five (85) dBA measured fifty (50) feet therefrom. The prohibition in this Section shall not apply to aircraft nor to any such machine ... that is operated in excess of two thousand five hundred (2,500) feet from any occupied dwelling unit.
Full Breakdown
Unlike many city codes, Chapter 10.60 of the Monterey County Code does not list a stand-alone daytime construction-hours window. During the daytime, construction equipment falls under Sec. 10.60.030 (Operation of noise-producing devices restricted), which prohibits operating any machine, mechanism, device, or contrivance producing a noise level above the code's daytime cap measured 50 feet away (historically 85 dBA; reduced by a 2024 amendment). During the nighttime period, construction is constrained by Sec. 10.60.040's 'loud and unreasonable sound' prohibition and the 45 Leq / 65 dBA Table 1 standards. In practice, enforceable construction-hour limits in unincorporated Monterey County come from two places: project-specific Conditions of Approval attached to discretionary permits by HCD Planning, and conditions on grading permits issued under County Code Chapter 16.08 (Grading). Because the County is heavily agricultural, Sec. 10.60.040 also exempts commercial agricultural operations from the nighttime rules. Applicants should confirm the exact allowed hours on their permit's Conditions of Approval.
Violations & Fines
Construction noise exceeding the Sec. 10.60.030 device limit, or violating the Sec. 10.60.040 nighttime standards, can be cited by HCD code enforcement and the Sheriff. Where a permit imposes specific construction hours, working outside those hours is a permit violation enforced by Code Compliance and can trigger stop-work orders. Misdemeanor charges and the County's escalating fine schedule (up to $250 first offense, up to $1,000 for repeat offenses within 12 months) may apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction happen in unincorporated Monterey County?
Can construction run at night in unincorporated Monterey County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
How Monterey County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.