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

Sierra County does not have a dedicated outdoor-music or outdoor-entertainment noise ordinance, and there is no county amplified-sound permit. The express rules on outdoor music appear only in the short-term rental standards. Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060(4) (Noise/Outdoor Activities) imposes quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily and prohibits any noise from outside locations, including music, parties, and gatherings, that can be easily detected from adjoining properties during those hours. The same short-term rental section separately prohibits special events at short-term rentals, stating that 'receptions, weddings, retreats, and/or any other similar events' have the potential to create noise concerns and are prohibited on the property containing a short-term rental. Outside the short-term rental context, outdoor music at private events in unincorporated communities such as Downieville, Sierra City, and Sierraville is not governed by a numeric county standard; it falls under general nuisance principles and California law. Zoning standards in the code expect certain uses to avoid 'excessive noise,' but those address land-use compatibility, not amplified outdoor music at residences. There is no county decibel cap for outdoor music.