Mono County, CA Noise Ordinances: Outdoor Music (2026)

Outdoor music in the unincorporated communities is governed by Mono County Code Chapter 10.16. Section 10.16.070(B)(1) prohibits amplified music or instruments between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. that create a noise disturbance across a property line or that exceed public-space levels measured at least 50 feet away, except by county variance. Daytime outdoor music must still respect the Table 10.16.060(A) limits and the background-relative thresholds (10 dBA over background by day, 5 dBA at night). Importantly, Section 10.16.080(A)(9) exempts the sound from occasional outdoor gatherings, public dances, shows, sporting and entertainment events when those events are conducted pursuant to a permit or license issued by the county and the required fees are paid as established by Board of Supervisors resolution. Section 10.16.070(B)(13) also requires a hearing-impairment warning sign whenever a loudspeaker or instrument in a place of public entertainment exceeds 95 dBA at a point normally occupied by a customer. So a permitted festival or wedding event can lawfully exceed routine limits, while an unpermitted backyard concert is held to the standard residential thresholds. These rules apply only in the unincorporated areas of Mono County.