Santa Clara County, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

The Santa Clara County Noise Ordinance is codified at Division B11 (Environmental Health), Chapter VIII (Control of Noise and Vibration) of the County Ordinance Code, with Section B11-152 establishing maximum permissible exterior sound levels by receiving land use through Table B11-152. The ordinance applies to property in any zoning district within unincorporated Santa Clara County. Residential receiving land uses are subject to lower nighttime decibel limits between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. than during the daytime period of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. If the alleged offensive sound contains a steady audible tone such as a whine, screech, or hum, or contains music or speech conveying informational content, the standard limits in Table B11-152 are reduced by 5 dB to account for the additional disturbance. Exemptions and special-event provisions are addressed in Section B11-152 and following sections (B11-153 through B11-159) for activities such as emergency work, agricultural operations, school activities, and permitted special events. The Department of Environmental Health Consumer Protection Division administers complaint investigation; the Sheriff's Office responds to acute disturbances. The 15 cities in Santa Clara County (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Milpitas, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Monte Sereno) each have their own municipal noise codes that govern within their corporate limits.