Irvine Construction Hours Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Irvine Municipal Code Section 4-9-206 establishes permitted hours for construction activity. Monday through Friday, construction noise-producing activities are allowed from 7 AM to 7 PM. On Saturdays, the permitted window is shorter: 9 AM to 6 PM. All construction noise is prohibited on Sundays and federal holidays. These restrictions cover residential and commercial construction alike, including new home building, remodeling, roofing, concrete work, grading, and demolition.

With Irvine being one of the most active development markets in Orange County — featuring ongoing build-out of the 1,300-acre Orange County Great Park neighborhoods, mixed-use projects near the Irvine Spectrum, and infill development across older villages — the city receives a high volume of construction noise complaints. Code enforcement staff and the Irvine Police Department jointly enforce the construction-hours ordinance. Contractors and homeowners undertaking renovations must ensure that all power tools, heavy equipment, hammering, and other noise-producing activities cease by the applicable cutoff time. Delivery trucks associated with construction are also subject to these hours if deliveries generate significant noise.

Interior work that does not produce noise audible beyond the property line — such as painting, wallpapering, or quiet finish carpentry — may proceed outside the standard construction window. However, the burden falls on the property owner or contractor to demonstrate that the work is truly inaudible at the property line. Emergency repairs necessary to protect life or property are exempt from the hour restrictions, as is city-authorized public infrastructure work that requires extended hours to minimize traffic disruption. Contractors performing work on behalf of the City of Irvine or the Irvine Ranch Water District may operate under separate time allowances specified in their public works contracts.