Monterey County, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Monterey 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
- Code Chapter
- Monterey County Code Ch. 10.60
- Nighttime Section
- Sec. 10.60.040
- Nighttime dBA Standard
- 45 Leq / 65 max (Table 1)
- Detection Standard
- Plainly audible at 50 ft (2019)
- Enforcement
- HCD + Sheriff (MCSO)
- Scope
- Unincorporated areas only
Summary
Unincorporated Monterey County regulates noise under County Code Chapter 10.60. Section 10.60.040 governs nighttime noise, prohibiting any loud and unreasonable sound and adopting exterior standards of 45 Leq dBA and 65 dBA maximum, measured at the property line. A 2019 amendment added a 'plainly audible' standard. HCD and the Sheriff enforce.
It is prohibited within the unincorporated area of the County of Monterey to make, assist in making, allow, continue, create, or cause to be made, any loud and unreasonable sound any day of the week from 10:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. the following morning. Table 1: Nighttime hourly equivalent sound level (Leq dBA) 45; Maximum level, dBA 65.
Full Breakdown
60 of the Monterey County Code (Title 10, Health and Sanitation) is the County's Noise Control ordinance and applies in the unincorporated area (both coastal and non-coastal zones). 040 (Regulation of nighttime noise) prohibits making, allowing, continuing, or causing any loud and unreasonable sound during the protected nighttime hours, and defines a loud and unreasonable sound to include any sound exceeding the exterior standards in its Table 1: a nighttime hourly-equivalent level of 45 Leq dBA and a maximum level of 65 dBA. m. Exemptions include religious bells and chimes, permitted outdoor gatherings on commercial or institutional premises, emergency vehicles and emergency equipment, and commercial agricultural operations. 60 applies only to unincorporated communities such as Pajaro, Castroville, Pebble Beach, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, Prunedale, and Aromas.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Chapter 10.60 are enforced by HCD code enforcement and the Sheriff. A 2019 amendment classified violations as misdemeanors. Per the County's 2022-23 Civil Grand Jury report, a first offense carried a fine of up to $250, and repeat offenders within a 12-month period faced fines of up to $1,000 per infraction, imprisonment in County Jail, or both. Each additional citation within 12 months increases the fine to the property owner; unpaid citations may become a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the quiet hours in unincorporated Monterey County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
How Monterey County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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