Gardena, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Gardena, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- General curfew window
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Covers
- Yelling, shouting, whistling, singing outdoors
- Construction curfew
- No work 6pm-7am weekdays, all Sunday
- Trash truck curfew
- No pickup 6pm-7am weekdays, no weekends
- Violation classification
- Misdemeanor under § 8.36.090
Summary
The City of Gardena bars loud, unnecessary noise around the clock under Gardena Municipal Code § 8.36.070, and specifically prohibits yelling, shouting, whistling, or singing on public streets between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under § 8.36.070(4) whenever it disturbs a neighbor's rest, with tighter numeric limits kicking in overnight under §§ 8.36.040 and 8.36.050.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter and in addition thereto, it shall be unlawful for any person to willfully make or continue or cause to be made or continued, any loud, unnecessary and unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitivity. ... ... 4. Yelling, Shouting, Whistling and Singing. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, or singing on the public streets, particularly between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. or at any time or place so as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of persons in any office, or in any dwelling, hotel, or other type of residence, or of any persons in the vicinity.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.36.070 opens with a blanket rule: it is unlawful to willfully make or continue any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise that disturbs the peace and quiet of a neighborhood or annoys a person of normal sensitivity, at any hour. The chapter then lists specific nighttime curfews. Subsection 4 bars yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, or singing on public streets between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. whenever it disturbs the comfort or repose of anyone in a dwelling, hotel, office, or other residence nearby. The same 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. window governs loading, unloading, and handling of boxes, crates, containers, and garbage cans under subsection 6, and domestic power tools such as saws, sanders, drills, and lawn or garden equipment under subsection 11(a).
Construction, repair, remodeling, grading, and demolition noise is separately restricted under § 8.36.080(G): it cannot occur between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, or at any time on Sunday or a federal holiday. Refuse and recycling trucks are likewise barred from residential routes between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and on weekends or holidays altogether under § 8.36.080(H), unless a holiday route is shifted to the following Saturday between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Emergency work, warning devices, and school activities are exempt under § 8.36.080(A) through (E).
Violations & Fines
Anyone who violates the § 8.36.070 curfew commits a misdemeanor under § 8.36.090, and the noise is prima facie evidence of a violation once it disturbs a neighbor after 10:00 p.m. The city may also treat the noise as a public nuisance, pursuing a restraining order, injunction, or abatement lien against the property; abatement costs become the property owner's personal obligation under § 8.36.090(A)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours are quiet hours in Gardena?
Can neighbors be cited for shouting late at night?
What time can construction start in Gardena?
When can trash trucks run in Gardena?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gardena
How Gardena compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Gardena to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle quiet hours.