Santa Clara County, CA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)

The County Noise Ordinance (Division B11, Chapter VIII) regulates equipment such as leaf blowers chiefly through its exterior noise limits and its treatment of 'domestic power tools.' Section B11-154's construction-hours restriction expressly does not apply to domestic power tools, which are addressed separately, so a homeowner using a leaf blower is governed mainly by whether the resulting noise exceeds the receiving-property exterior limits (for example, 55 dBA daytime / 45 dBA nighttime at a one- and two-family residence) rather than by a blanket curfew. There is no County code section setting a unique decibel cap solely for leaf blowers in the unincorporated area, so claims of a specific leaf-blower-only limit should not be assumed. At the state level, California's CARB small off-road engine (SORE) regulation prohibits the sale of NEW gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn mowers and similar equipment, pushing the market toward zero-emission electric models; this is a sales restriction, not a use ban, and it applies statewide rather than being a Santa Clara County ordinance. Residents in unincorporated areas using leaf blowers should keep noise within the County's exterior limits and avoid creating a disturbance across a neighboring property line, especially during nighttime hours.