San Clemente, CA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential daytime
- 55 dB(A), 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Residential nighttime
- 50 dB(A), 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Commercial limit
- 65 dB(A) day / 60 dB(A) night
- Industrial limit
- 70 dB(A) day and night
- Interior residential cap
- 50 dB(A) day / 40 dB(A) night
- Exceedance rule
- 30 min/hr over base standard triggers violation
Summary
San Clemente caps exterior noise measured at a neighboring property by land use and time of day: 55 dB(A) daytime and 50 dB(A) at night for residential property, up to 70 dB(A) around the clock for industrial or manufacturing land, under Section 8.48.050.
Land Use Allowable Exterior Noise Level 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Residential 55 dB (A) 50 dB (A) Residential portions of mixed-use, or residences located on property zoned for commercial, industrial or manufacturing land use 60 dB (A) 50 dB (A) Commercial 65 dB (A) 60 dB (A)* Industrial or manufacturing 70 dB (A) 70 dB (A)*
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Traffic: Supplement 30 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
050 sets a table of allowable exterior noise levels measured at the affected receiving property. m. Residential portions of mixed-use development, or homes on land zoned commercial, industrial or manufacturing, get a slightly higher daytime allowance of 60 dB(A) but the same 50 dB(A) nighttime limit. Commercial property is capped at 65 dB(A) by day and 60 dB(A) at night, and industrial or manufacturing property at 70 dB(A) around the clock, though the nighttime commercial and industrial figures only apply if those buildings are actually occupied during those hours.
050(A) makes it unlawful to exceed the base standard for more than 30 cumulative minutes in an hour, exceed it by 5 dB(A) for more than 15 minutes, by 10 dB(A) for more than 5 minutes, by 15 dB(A) for more than 1 minute, or by 20 dB(A) at all, so a brief loud burst is treated differently than a sustained one. 050(B) raises the allowable ceiling to match that higher ambient level. 060 caps noise inside a residential dwelling at 50 dB(A) daytime and 40 dB(A) at night, measured relative to the interior ambient level rather than a fixed number.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding any of the five graduated thresholds in Section 8.48.050(A) is a prima facie violation of the chapter under Section 8.48.070(Q) and is treated as a public nuisance under Section 8.48.010. The City enforces noise violations through its administrative citation program under Chapter 1.20, with the general Section 1.16.010 penalty applying absent a more specific fine: up to $1,000 and six months in jail as a misdemeanor, or graduated infraction fines of $100, $200 and $500 for repeat offenses within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum exterior noise level allowed at a San Clemente home?
How long can noise exceed the limit before it is a violation?
Are commercial and industrial areas held to the same noise limit as homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Clemente
California rules heatmap·Compare San Clemente to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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