Sierra County, CA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Sierra County does not regulate noise through a general decibel-limit table the way many larger California counties do. A search of the Sierra County Code for 'decibel' returns only one substantive provision. Under Sierra County Code Section 8.04.260 (Noise during compaction process), 'The noise level for the collection trucks during the stationary compaction process shall not exceed 75 decibels at a distance of 25 feet from the collection truck and at an elevation of five feet from the horizontal base plane of such trucks.' That is the sole numeric noise standard in the code, and it applies only to solid-waste collection vehicles, not to homes, businesses, or events. There is no daytime/nighttime dBA limit by zoning district, no property-line decibel standard for general noise, and no amplified-sound decibel cap. Instead, other noise issues are handled qualitatively: nuisance dogs use a 20-minute-per-hour barking standard (SCC 8.08.160), short-term rentals use posted quiet hours of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (SCC 15.10.060), and zoning standards expect certain uses to avoid 'excessive noise' (for example SCC 15.12.150). Residents in unincorporated communities seeking a numeric residential noise limit will not find one in the county code; California state law applies to areas the county has not addressed.