El Dorado County, CA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 130.37.060, Noise Standards
- Daytime max (Community)
- 70 dBA maximum / 55 dBA hourly
- Night max (Rural Regions)
- 50 dBA maximum / 40 dBA hourly
- Tonal/impulsive penalty
- Extra 5 dBA reduction under Sec. 130.37.060(A)(1)
- Measurement point
- Property line or 100 ft from receptor
Summary
Non-transportation noise reaching a sensitive receptor in unincorporated El Dorado County cannot exceed the hourly and maximum dBA levels set in Table 130.37.060.1 of the Zoning Ordinance: as low as 45 dBA hourly and 55 dBA maximum at night in Community and Rural Centers, and 40/50 dBA in Rural Regions, rising to 55/70 dBA for daytime noise in Community and Rural Centers.
Noise sensitive land uses affected by non-transportation noise sources shall not exceed standards set forth in Table 130.37.060.1 (Noise Level Performance Standards for Noise Sensitive Land Uses Affected by Non-Transportation Sources) below in this Section: Daytime 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Evening 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Night 10 p.m.-7 a.m. Community/Rural Centers Rural Regions Community/Rural Centers Rural Regions Community/Rural Centers Rural Regions Hourly Leq, dBA 55 50 50 45 45 40 Maximum level, dBA 70 60 60 55 55 50
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Table 130.37.060.1 sets separate hourly Leq and maximum dBA ceilings for three time blocks, daytime (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), evening (7 p.m. to 10 p.m.), and night (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.), and for two geographic tiers, Community/Rural Centers and Rural Regions. Hourly averages run from 55 dBA (daytime, Community/Rural Centers) down to 40 dBA (night, Rural Regions), while instantaneous maximum levels run from 70 dBA down to 50 dBA across the same grid. Section 130.37.060(A)(1) tightens every one of those numbers by an additional 5 dBA whenever the noise is a simple tone, unamplified speech or music, or a recurring impulsive sound, and Section 130.37.060(A)(2) lets the Director impose standards up to 5 dBA below the table where existing ambient noise in the area is already low.
Where the standard applies depends on location: in Community Regions it is measured at the property line of the receiving property, while in Rural Centers and Regions it is measured 100 feet from the sensitive receptor, or at the property line if that is closer inside the Platted Lands Overlay. Transportation noise runs on a separate scale under Table 130.37.060.2, capping residential outdoor activity areas at 60 dB Ldn/CNEL and 45 dB indoors, with an extra 65 dBA Ldn threshold allowed at a residence's front-yard facade in Community Regions and Rural Centers.
Violations & Fines
A new development whose acoustic analysis shows projected noise above the Table 130.37.060.1 or 130.37.060.2 thresholds cannot get discretionary approval until it adds the noise-reduction measures required by Section 130.37.070, such as setbacks or sound walls for highway-facing residential projects; once operating, a use that exceeds its approved noise conditions is enforced as a permit violation and can trigger a Code Enforcement investigation using the Section 130.37.080 measurement protocol.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nighttime noise limit near my house?
Where is the noise level actually measured?
Do loud music or tonal noises get a stricter limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Dorado County
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