Orange County, CA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed maintenance hours
- 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun/holiday)
- County leaf-blower ban
- None specific
- State equipment rule
- AB 1346 / CARB zero-emission (MY 2024)
- Code citation
- Codified Ordinances Sec. 4-6-7(i)
- SORE definition
- Engines 25 hp or less
Summary
Unincorporated Orange County has no separate leaf-blower ordinance. Leaf blowers fall under the County noise code's property-maintenance hours (Sec. 4-6-7(i)), and statewide California law (AB 1346 / CARB) now bars sales of new gas-powered leaf blowers and other small off-road engines.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) Small off-road engines (SORE), which are used primarily in lawn and garden equipment, emit high levels of air pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen (NOx), reactive organic gases (ROG), and particulate matter (PM). NOx and ROG together contribute to formation of ozone, a criteria pollutant with a national ambient air quality standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and a California ambient air quality standard and that has adverse impacts on health. Currently, California exceeds U.S. EPA and state standards for ozone in many areas, including the South Coast Air Basin, the San Francisco Bay area, and the County of Sacramento.
Full Breakdown
The County does not single out leaf blowers in its Codified Ordinances. Instead, leaf blower use is governed two ways. on Sunday or a Federal holiday. Outside those hours, the noise must comply with the residential limits in Section 4-6-5 (55 dB(A) day / 50 dB(A) night, reduced 5 dB(A) for certain noise). Second, California state law now controls the equipment itself: Assembly Bill 1346 (2021) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations require most new small off-road engines (SORE, 25 horsepower or less, which covers leaf blowers, mowers, and trimmers) sold in California to be zero-emission beginning with model year 2024.
The law restricts sales of new gas-powered units but does not ban continued use of existing CARB-compliant gas equipment. There is no County-set decibel cap specific to leaf blowers.
Violations & Fines
Leaf blowing outside the maintenance hours in Section 4-6-7(i) loses its exemption and is a misdemeanor noise violation under Section 4-6-15; equipment sale restrictions are enforced at the state level by CARB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are gas leaf blowers banned in unincorporated Orange County?
When can I use a leaf blower under County rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange County
How Orange County compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Orange County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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