Stanislaus County, CA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Noise Sensitive limit
- 45 dB(A) day and night
- Residential limit
- 50 dB(A) day / 45 dB(A) night
- Commercial limit
- 60 dB(A) day / 55 dB(A) night
- Industrial limit
- 75 dB(A) day and night
- Daytime period
- 7:00 a.m. to 9:59 p.m.
- Nighttime period
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.
Summary
Stanislaus County Code § 10.46.050 sets maximum exterior sound levels for the unincorporated county based on the noise zone of the receiving property. Noise-sensitive sites and residential parcels drop to 45 dB(A) at night, commercial parcels run 55-60 dB(A), and industrial parcels stay at 75 dB(A) around the clock.
It is unlawful for any person at any location within the unincorporated area of the county to create any noise or to allow the creation of any noise which causes the exterior noise level when measured at any property situated in either the incorporated or unincorporated area of the county to exceed the noise level standards as set forth below: Table A EXTERIOR NOISE LEVEL STANDARDS Designated Noise Zone / Maximum A-Weighted Sound Level (LMAX) / 7:00 a.m.—9:59 p.m. / 10:00 p.m.—6:59 a.m.
Noise Sensitive 45 45 Residential 50 45 Commercial 60 55 Industrial 75 75
Full Breakdown
): Noise Sensitive parcels, schools, hospitals, churches, convalescent homes, cemeteries, sensitive wildlife habitat, and public libraries, are capped at 45 dB(A) both day and night; Residential parcels are capped at 50 dB(A) by day and 45 dB(A) at night; Commercial and highway-frontage parcels run 60 dB(A) by day and 55 dB(A) at night; and Industrial parcels are allowed 75 dB(A) around the clock. A companion Table B lets a brief noise spike run hotter than Table A without violating it: an event lasting 30 minutes or more in an hour gets no allowance above Table A, but one under a minute gets up to 20 dB(A) over the Table A ceiling, on a sliding scale in between.
050(A)(4) makes that higher ambient level the new standard. 040 with a sound level meter certified within the preceding twelve months, positioned three to five feet above ground and away from reflective surfaces, by an enforcement official trained on the instrument, at a location chosen at that official's discretion anywhere within the boundaries of a property.
Violations & Fines
The county's noise-control findings in § 10.46.020 declare any noise created, maintained, or allowed in a manner inconsistent with Chapter 10.46 a public nuisance, punishable as such. An enforcement official documents an exceedance with a certified sound level meter reading taken at the affected property, comparing it against the applicable Table A ceiling for that parcel's noise zone and time of day, adjusted for Table B's cumulative-duration allowance before any citation is issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel limit applies to a residential parcel at night?
Do industrial-zoned parcels get a higher noise allowance?
Can a brief loud noise legally exceed the Table A limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stanislaus County
California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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