Pasadena, CA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime interior limit
- 60 dBA, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., multifamily units
- Nighttime interior limit
- 50 dBA, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., multifamily units
- Citywide property-line standard
- No more than 5 dB above ambient level
- Enforcing agency
- City of Pasadena Environmental Health Division
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Section 9.36.190
Summary
Pasadena caps interior noise in multifamily units at 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. under Municipal Code Section 9.36.060. Citywide, Section 9.36.050 separately bars any noise that exceeds the ambient level at a property line by more than 5 decibels, with violations enforced as misdemeanors.
It is unlawful for any person to produce, suffer or allow to be produced on any multifamily residential property, sounds at a level in excess of those enumerated in Table No. 1 when measured inside any dwelling unit on the same property or twenty (20) feet from the outside of the dwelling unit in which the noise source or sources may be located. TABLE NO. 1—Interior Noise Standard Time Interval Interior Noise Standards (dBA) 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 60 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 50
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
36 of the Pasadena Municipal Code sets the city's core decibel standards. 060's Table No. m. 050 makes it unlawful for any noise source anywhere in the city to exceed the ambient noise level at a property line by more than 5 decibels, and independently bars any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise that disturbs the peace of a neighborhood, judged against twelve factors including proximity to sleeping areas, time of day, and whether the source is commercial. daytime window. 180. 190, and the city may pursue a civil abatement action in addition to criminal prosecution.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the property-line or interior decibel limits is a misdemeanor under Section 9.36.190, prosecutable independently of any civil nuisance abatement the city pursues. Officers and environmental health investigators use a calibrated sound level meter with A-weighting to confirm a reading exceeds the ambient level by more than 5 decibels, or exceeds the 60/50 dBA interior thresholds, before citing the responsible party.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pasadena's decibel limit for apartment noise at night?
Does Pasadena have a general property-line noise limit?
Who enforces Pasadena's noise decibel standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
California rules heatmap·Compare Pasadena 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.
Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle decibel limits.