Gas and electric lawn equipment in unincorporated Contra Costa County may generally be operated between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM on weekdays and 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekends. Outside those hours, operation is a noise-ordinance violation under Title 716.
Landscaping and yard equipment — mowers, trimmers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, and pressure washers — are high-noise devices limited to daytime operating hours in unincorporated Contra Costa County. Standard hours are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday–Friday and 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, though some communities (notably Kensington and Alamo) have stricter community-level conventions enforced informally. Professional landscapers must follow the same hours. Electric/battery equipment receives no special exemption from the hour limits but is quieter in practice and generates fewer complaints. California's AB 1346 (2021) banned the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines effective January 1, 2024 — so over time equipment noise is expected to decline as landscapers convert fleets. Equipment noise that continues past 7 PM or starts before 7 AM is grounds for a complaint to the Sheriff or Code Enforcement. Commercial operators who repeatedly violate hours can face citations and business-license consequences.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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