Milpitas, CA Noise Ordinances: Outdoor Music (2026)

Milpitas does not have a separate 'outdoor music' chapter; outdoor and backyard music are regulated under the same Chapter 213 provisions that cover amplified sound generally. Loudspeakers and sound amplifiers are explicitly listed in the 'Disturbing Noise' definition (V-213-2.04), and once outdoor music rises to a disturbing noise it is subject to the residential limits in V-213-3: no increase of more than 3 dB over ambient and no more than 65 dB at the property line (V-213-3.01), whichever is stricter. The quiet-hours test in V-213-3.03 makes outdoor music presumptively unlawful when it is audible 50 feet from the property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (100 feet for a moving source), with a looser 100-foot daytime threshold. Larger outdoor events - festivals, concerts, and gatherings at city venues or parks - are handled through the city's special-event and park-use processes, which can attach noise conditions and end-times consistent with Chapter 213. For repeat disturbances at private outdoor events, V-213-10 allows the city to recover the cost of extraordinary police services from the responsible party after a first warning. Residents seeking the precise event-permit requirements should consult the City of Milpitas Resident Resources and Recreation pages.