Cupertino, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Cupertino, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Weekday nighttime hours
- 8pm-7am
- Weekend nighttime hours
- 6pm-9am
- Residential nighttime cap
- 50 dBA
- General disturbance rule
- Muni Code § 10.48.060, any hour
Summary
Cupertino's nighttime quiet hours run from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays and 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. weekends, when the property-line noise cap drops to 50 dBA residential and 55 dBA nonresidential under §§ 10.48.010 and 10.48.040.
“Nighttime” means periods of weekdays from eight p.m. to twelve midnight, and from midnight to seven a.m., and periods on weekends from six p.m. to midnight and from midnight to nine a.m. ... Individual noise sources, or the combination of a group of noise sources located on the same property, shall not produce a noise level exceeding those specified on property zoned as follows ... Residential 50 dBA 60 dBA Nonresidential 55 dBA 65 dBA
Full Breakdown
m. 040 lowers the maximum noise level a property may receive to 50 dBA for residential land and 55 dBA for nonresidential land, down from the 60/65 dBA daytime caps. 010 as sound that endangers or injures health or safety, annoys or disturbs a person of normal sensitivities, or damages property. That disturbance standard applies at any hour, not only at night, and gives the Noise Control Officer a general tool for noise complaints that do not fit neatly into a numeric decibel violation. depending on the day and location, and certified leaf blowers only after November 5, 2022.
Violations & Fines
Violating the nighttime noise limits or § 10.48.060's disturbance rule is a misdemeanor under § 10.48.070, punishable under Chapter 1.12 by a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both; the City Attorney may instead prosecute it as an infraction, escalating from $100 to $200 to $500 for repeat violations of the same provision within a year, and each day of continued violation is a separate offense under § 1.12.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Cupertino's quiet hours start?
Is there a general noise disturbance rule besides the decibel limits?
When can landscapers use loud equipment in Cupertino?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cupertino
How Cupertino compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Cupertino to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle quiet hours.