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

Santa Clara County does not use a single blanket 'quiet hour' curfew for all sound. Instead, Chapter VIII (Control of Noise and Vibration) of the County Ordinance Code, Division B11 - Environmental Health, defines a daytime period of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and a nighttime period of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., with lower permissible noise levels at night. Under the outdoor noise limits (Section B11-152), the maximum exterior noise measured at the receiving property is: one- and two-family residential 45 dBA at night / 55 dBA daytime; multiple-family dwelling 50 dBA at night; commercial 60 dBA at night / 65 dBA daytime. Light industrial (70 dBA) and heavy industrial (75 dBA) limits apply at any time. These standards are enforced in the unincorporated areas only - incorporated cities such as San Jose set their own rules. The County's Consumer Protection Division / Department of Environmental Health investigates noise complaints from residential and commercial sources in unincorporated areas. Several specific 'prohibited acts' in Section B11-154 are also tied to the 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. window, including operating radios, televisions and musical instruments so as to create a noise disturbance across a property line during those hours. Always confirm the current code text, because the ordinance is periodically amended.