Outdoor amplified music in San Francisco requires an Entertainment Commission Outdoor Amplified Sound Permit and must comply with Police Code Article 29 decibel limits. Block parties, festivals, and restaurant patios all need permits, with strict cutoff times of 10 p.m. weekdays.
San Francisco treats outdoor amplified music as a permitted activity under the Entertainment Commission's jurisdiction. Any event using amplified sound outdoors, whether a block party, restaurant patio performance, festival, or private residential gathering, requires an Outdoor Amplified Sound Permit obtained 30+ days in advance. Permits set conditions including maximum dBA at the nearest residence (typically 75-85 dBA at specified monitoring points), mandatory cutoff times (usually 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday), and required neighborhood notification. Restaurants and bars with outdoor seating need either a Place of Entertainment permit or a Limited Live Performance permit with reduced sound allowances. Unpermitted outdoor amplified music is cited by SFPD or Entertainment Commission inspectors with fines starting at $500. Enforcement is notably stricter in dense neighborhoods like the Mission, North Beach, Haight, and SoMa where noise complaints are frequent. Festival organizers should also coordinate with SFMTA for street closures and with neighborhood associations.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact San Francisco code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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