San Bernardino County, CA Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

Industrial and other fixed-source noise is the core subject of the County Development Code, Section 83.01.080(c), 'Noise Standards for Stationary Noise Sources.' No stationary source may cause the noise level, measured on another property (incorporated or unincorporated), to exceed the standard for the receiving land use in Table 5. The standard is keyed to the receiving (affected) use: Residential 55 dB(A) Leq day / 45 dB(A) Leq night; Professional Services 55 dB(A); Other Commercial 60 dB(A); Industrial 70 dB(A). So industrial operations are judged by the noise that reaches neighboring properties - if that neighbor is residential, the strict 55/45 dB(A) standard governs. The duration sliding scale in Section 83.01.080(c)(2) allows brief exceedances (e.g., +10 dB(A) for up to 5 minutes per hour). The County also regulates industrial vibration: Section 83.01.090 prohibits ground vibration felt without instruments at or beyond the lot line, or vibration producing a particle velocity of 0.2 inches per second or greater at the lot line. Construction, maintenance, repair, and demolition noise and vibration are exempt between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. except Sundays and Federal holidays.