Santa Clara County, CA Noise Ordinances: Outdoor Music (2026)

Outdoor music is covered by the County Noise Ordinance (Division B11, Chapter VIII). The exterior noise limits in Section B11-152 apply at the receiving property line, and because the offending noise contains music (or speech conveying informational content), the otherwise-applicable limit from the noise table is reduced by 5 dB - so outdoor music is held to a stricter effective standard than general background noise. For events that use outdoor amplified sound, the County requires an Outdoor Amplified Sound Permit under Title B, Division B3, Chapter VIII (Section B3-171 et seq.). The proposed use of outdoor amplified sound must comply with the thresholds and requirements of the County Noise Ordinance (Division B11, Chapter VIII), and the permit may carry conditions of approval - for example, maintaining an on-site noise-complaint hotline during events and posting signage at the public entrance with the hotline and County Public Health Department contact information. Approval criteria require that the outdoor amplified sound not be detrimental to the adjacent area because of excessive noise. These provisions apply to unincorporated areas such as the rural foothills, San Martin and the Stanford lands; incorporated cities regulate outdoor music separately.