Riverside, CA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

City Code Chapter 7.35 makes ordinary construction noise unlawful under the general noise-disturbance rule of § 7.35.010 unless it fits one of nine listed exemptions in § 7.35.020. Subsection G is the construction exemption: 'Noise sources associated with construction, repair, remodeling, or grading of any real property; provided a permit has been obtained from the City as required; and provided said activities do not take place between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on Saturdays, or at any time on Sunday or a federal holiday.' In practice a contractor holding a valid City building or grading permit may run saws, compactors, generators, and other construction equipment only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday and between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday and federal holidays are off-limits entirely, with no exemption window at any hour. Two conditions must both be met: the work has to fall within the permitted hours AND the required City permit must already be in hand. Work performed without the permit, or outside the specified hours, forfeits the exemption and instead gets judged under the general noise-disturbance standard in § 7.35.010(A)-(B), weighing factors like proximity to homes, time of day, and duration.

Emergency work and right-of-way work supervised by the Public Works Director sit under separate exemptions elsewhere in § 7.35.020 and are not bound by these hour limits.