San Clemente, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in San Clemente, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew window
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Governing section
- SCMC § 8.48.070(D)
- Nighttime exterior cap
- 50 dB(A) residential
- Nighttime interior cap
- 40 dB(A) residential
- Refuse collection curfew
- No pickup 7 p.m.-6 a.m. near homes
Summary
San Clemente bans yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on public streets, especially between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., if it annoys or disturbs anyone's quiet, comfort or repose, under Section 8.48.070(D), backed by lower nighttime decibel caps in the same chapter.
D.Yelling, shouting, etc. 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.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Traffic: Supplement 30 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
, though the section also reaches such noise at any time or place if it disturbs the quiet, comfort or repose of people in an office, dwelling, hotel or elsewhere in the vicinity. even without shouting involved. m. 060.
Violations & Fines
Violating the nighttime shouting and quiet-hours restriction in Section 8.48.070(D) is enforced as a public nuisance under Section 8.48.010, through the City's administrative citation program under Chapter 1.20. The default penalty under Section 1.16.010 applies: a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in county jail, or an infraction carrying fines of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $500 for each further offense within a year, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a set quiet-hours window in San Clemente?
Do the noise limits actually get stricter at night?
Can trash be collected in San Clemente late at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Clemente
How San Clemente compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare San Clemente to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle quiet hours.