Sutter County, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Sutter 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
- County noise ordinance
- None adopted (per CPUC noise study)
- Quiet-hours curfew
- No countywide curfew set
- Governing law
- CA Penal Code 415 (disturbing the peace)
- Max penalty (415)
- Up to 90 days jail / $400 fine
- Enforcement
- Sutter County Sheriff's Office
- Applies to
- Unincorporated areas only
Summary
Unincorporated Sutter County has not adopted a general noise ordinance, so there are no fixed countywide "quiet hours" with set decibel limits. Loud, disturbing noise is instead handled as disturbing the peace under California Penal Code 415, enforced by the Sheriff.
1500-21.5-050 Exterior Noise Standards. The noise standards shown in Table 1500-21.5-1, unless otherwise specified in this Article, shall apply to all noise sensitive exterior areas within Sutter County. Table 1500-21.5-1: EXTERIOR NOISE STANDARDS -- Hourly Leq, dBA: Daytime (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) 55, Nightime (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) 45; Maximum Level, dBA: Daytime 70, Nightime 65. A. Exterior Noise Violation. It is unlawful for any person at any location within the County to create any noise which causes the noise levels on a noise sensitive receiving property, when measured in the designated exterior noise measurement location, to exceed the noise standards specified in Table 1500-21.5-1. B. Impulsive, Simple and Pure Tone Noise. Each of the noise limits specified in Table 1500-21.5-1 shall be reduced by 5 dBA for recurring impulsive noise, simple or pure tone noise, or for noises consisting of speech or music. C. Ambient Noise Level. Noise level standards, which are up to five 5 dBA less than those specified in Table 1500-21.5-1 may be imposed, based upon determination of existing low ambient noise levels in the vicinity of the receiving property. D. Application. The exterior noise level standard shall be applied to the property line of the receiving property (as measured no more than one foot or as close as practicable inside the property line).
Full Breakdown
Sutter County government regulates the unincorporated communities (such as Sutter, Robbins, Rio Oso, Pleasant Grove, Meridian, Nicolaus, Tudor, East Nicolaus, and Trowbridge) rather than the incorporated cities of Yuba City or Live Oak, which have their own codes. " That means the county has no code section establishing nighttime quiet hours, daytime versus nighttime decibel caps, or a curfew on residential noise the way many cities do. The county's policy framework instead lives in the General Plan noise element, whose goal is "to protect county residences from the harmful effects of exposure to excessive noise," applied mainly through land-use compatibility review of new development rather than through citation of an existing neighbor.
For an ongoing nuisance, the practical tool is California Penal Code 415, "disturbing the peace," which makes it an offense to maliciously and willfully disturb another person by loud and unreasonable noise. Residents who experience persistent late-night noise generally contact the Sutter County Sheriff's Office, which can respond and, where warranted, cite the responsible party.
Violations & Fines
There is no county quiet-hours ordinance to violate. Loud and unreasonable noise that maliciously and willfully disturbs another person can be cited as disturbing the peace under California Penal Code 415, punishable by up to 90 days in county jail, a fine of up to $400, or both; as an infraction the fine can be up to $250 with no jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does unincorporated Sutter County have official quiet hours?
What can I do about a noisy neighbor in the unincorporated county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sutter County
How Sutter County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Sutter County to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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