Quiet hours in Hawthorne, CA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Hawthorne's nighttime quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Under its Noise Regulations (Ordinance No. 2138, in Municipal Code Title 9), the one-hour average sound level at residential property may not exceed 60 dBA daytime or 50 dBA at night. Amplified sound audible 50 feet away between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. is prima facie unlawful.
Hawthorne is an incorporated Los Angeles County city of about 88,000, so its own Municipal Code governs noise inside city limits, not the Los Angeles County code (which applies only to unincorporated areas). The current rules come from Ordinance No. 2138, which repealed the old Chapters 9.34 and 9.35 and re-enacted a modern Noise Regulations chapter. The core daytime/nighttime line is drawn at 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.: in residential zones (and property abutting residential zones) the one-hour average sound level limit is 60 dBA during the day and drops to 50 dBA at night. Beyond the numeric standard, the Public Nuisance Noise section makes it unlawful to make any disturbing, excessive, or offensive noise that causes discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable person of normal sensitivity in the area, and it treats radios, stereos, and amplifiers that are plainly audible 50 feet away between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. as prima facie evidence of a violation. Yelling, shouting, or raucous singing on public streets between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. is likewise prima facie unlawful. Code Enforcement and the Hawthorne Police Department share enforcement.
Violations are enforced under the penalties prescribed in the Hawthorne Municipal Code. After an initial police response for loud, unnecessary, and unusual noise, the city may bill responsible parties for the cost of any subsequent response, up to $1,500 per response; parents/guardians can be jointly liable for a minor's conduct.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Los Angeles County.
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