Bakersfield, CA Noise Ordinances: Outdoor Music (2026)

Outdoor live or recorded music is treated as amplified sound under BMC Section 9.22.050 and as zoned noise under 9.22. A private homeowner can play music outside during the day as long as it is not plainly audible at the neighbor's property line above the zone limit; after 10 p.m. the nighttime standard drops five decibels and any plainly audible amplified sound is a violation. Restaurants and bars that want patio music need a Conditional Use Permit from Bakersfield Planning; conditions commonly cap outdoor speakers at 10 p.m. weekday and 11 p.m. weekend cutoffs and require speakers to be directionally aimed and not mounted to exterior walls facing homes. Downtown events along Chester Avenue, in Mill Creek Park, or at the Kern County Fairgrounds require a special event permit that specifies the amplified-sound window and often a separate temporary encroachment for stages and generators. Wedding receptions at private venues outside the entertainment district must adhere to the same 10 p.m. cutoff unless a specific permit authorizes later hours.