Paramount, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Paramount, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Night period
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Night limit, R1 and R2
- 57 decibels
- Night limit, R3 and R4
- 62 decibels
- Night limit, Industrial and Commercial
- 77 decibels
- Apartment interior cap
- 55 dBA in adjoining unit, 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Maximum penalty
- $500.00 fine, six months County Jail, or both
Summary
In the City of Paramount, the Section 9.12.040 night limits run from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.: 57 decibels in R1 and R2 zones, 62 in R3 and R4 zones, and 77 in Industrial and Commercial zones. Inside multiple family units the cap is 55 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
§ 9.12.040. Noise performance standards. The following noise standards, unless otherwise specifically indicated, shall apply to all property within their assigned noise zones and such standards shall constitute the maximum permissible noise level within the respective zones. Noise Standard Noise Zone Day (maximum) 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Night (maximum) 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Industrial and Commercial 82 decibels 77 decibels R1 and R2 62 decibels 57 decibels R3 and R4 67 decibels 62 decibels
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9.12 of the Paramount Municipal Code does not set a single curfew hour. It sets maximum noise levels by zone and lowers the cap at 10:00 p.m. Under Section 9.12.040 the day maximum, 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., is 62 decibels in R1 and R2 zones, 67 in R3 and R4 zones and 82 in Industrial and Commercial zones. The night maximum, 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., is 57, 62 and 77. Section 9.12.060(A) makes it unlawful for any person, including on commercial, agricultural and industrial zoned property, to create, maintain or allow noise that exceeds those standards.
Section 9.12.060(C) adds an interior rule for multiple family housing: noise within a multiple family dwelling unit cannot exceed 55 dBA as measured in any adjoining dwelling unit between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Schools, hospitals and churches are protected while in use, but only where conspicuous signs are displayed in three separate locations within one-tenth of a mile. Section 9.04.140(A) separately bars unnecessary noises physically annoying to persons of ordinary sensitiveness, or so harsh, prolonged, unnatural or unusual in use, time or place as to occasion physical discomfort to the inhabitants of any neighborhood.
Measurements follow Section 9.12.050: the A weighted network, a point on adjoining residential property about 10 feet from any building or wall, or the property line, with ambient noise logged first. Exceeding the Section 9.12.040 level, or the 55 dBA interior level, is prima facie evidence of a violation under Section 9.12.070(A).
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 9.12 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $500.00, up to six months in the County Jail, or both, and each day is a separate offense. The Director of Ordinance Enforcement enforces the chapter, and a court can declare the noise source a public nuisance and abate it by restraining order or injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Paramount
How Paramount compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Paramount 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.