San Bernardino County, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in San Bernardino County, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Construction curfew
- 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Sound level test
- not required to prove violation
- Enforcement
- Sheriff / code enforcement
- Applies
- unincorporated county only
Summary
Audio equipment, amplified sound, live music, and power tools are banned from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. if audible inside a neighbor's home, and construction equipment must stop at 7 p.m. under the unincorporated area's noise ordinance.
(a) Audio Equipment. No person shall operate, or allow the operation of, any audio equipment, whether portable or not, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. such that the equipment is plainly audible inside an occupied dwelling other than a dwelling in which the equipment may be located... (d) Construction Activity. Except for emergency work, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be operated, construction equipment between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
County Code Chapter 24, Article 7 sets stricter nighttime rules on top of general noise limits. Audio equipment, amplifying equipment, live music, and power tools are barred from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. if plainly audible inside an occupied dwelling other than where the source sits; construction equipment cannot run between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. except for emergency work. Applies only in the unincorporated county, not in San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, or the county's other 21 cities, which enforce their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Infraction on first offense; a repeat violation within 180 days can be charged as a misdemeanor, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a decibel meter to file a noise complaint at night?
Can I run construction equipment in the evening?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino County
How San Bernardino County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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