Sonoma, CA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential day
- 60 dBA intermittent/50 dBA constant
- Residential night
- 50 dBA intermittent/40 dBA constant
- Commercial/mixed use
- 65/55 dBA, day and night
- Daytime hours
- 7am-9pm (7am-10pm Fri/Sat)
- Measured at
- any point on receiving property
Summary
The City of Sonoma sets numeric decibel ceilings by zone and time of day under Sonoma Municipal Code Section 9.56.040. Residential property is capped at 60 dBA intermittent/50 dBA constant by day and 50/40 dBA at night; commercial and mixed-use property gets a flatter 65/55 dBA ceiling.
9.56.040 General noise limits. ... A summary of the general noise limits set forth in this section is set forth in Table 1. ... +-----------------------+---------------------------+--------------------------+ | ... Property Type or Zone | Daytime Limits | Nighttime Limits | +-----------------------+---------------------------+--------------------------+ | Residential | 60 dBA Intermittent | 50 dBA Intermittent | | | 50 dBA Constant | 40 dBA Constant | +-----------------------+---------------------------+--------------------------+ | Commercial/Mixed Use | 65 dBA Intermittent | 65 dBA Intermittent | | | 55 dBA Constant | 55 dBA Constant | +-----------------------+---------------------------+--------------------------+ | Public Property | Most restrictive noise limit applicable to adjoining | | | private property | +-----------------------+------------------------------------------------------+
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
040 is the operative numeric standard behind the City of Sonoma's noise chapter. It applies at any point on the receiving private or public property, measured with a Type 1 or 2 sound level meter set to A-weighting: fast response and the one-second maximum (Lmax) for intermittent sound, and the average (Leq) for constant sound. m. m. Friday and Saturday, dropping to 50 dBA intermittent and 40 dBA constant at night. Mixed-use property gets a looser 65 dBA intermittent/55 dBA constant by day and 55/45 dBA at night.
Commercial property is capped at 65 dBA intermittent or 55 dBA constant outright, unless a use permit specifically authorizes more. Noise measured on public property, including streets and rights-of-way, is held to whichever standard is most restrictive among the private properties that adjoin it. Where two limits could apply to the same noise, the section states the more restrictive one governs. 060. 100.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the Section 9.56.040 limits is enforceable under Section 9.56.100 as either an infraction or a misdemeanor, separate from any civil or criminal nuisance remedy the code preserves in Section 9.56.010. Because Section 9.56.030 also bars any raucous or nerve-wracking noise outright, a source can be cited even while staying under the numeric ceiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel limit applies to noise from a neighbor's house at night in the City of Sonoma?
Are commercial properties held to the same noise limits as homes?
Can I still be cited if my noise is under the decibel limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle decibel limits.