Thousand Oaks, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Thousand Oaks, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Distance threshold
- Audible beyond 50 feet from the property line
- Covered devices
- Radios, TVs, musical instruments, phonographs, amplified voice/sound
- Zone covered
- Any residential zone
- Related standard
- General 'loud, unnecessary, unusual noise' ban applies any time (§5-21.03)
Summary
Thousand Oaks bans loud radios, TVs, musical instruments, and other amplified-sound devices in residential zones between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. if the noise is audible more than 50 feet from the property line. The rule applies whether or not the sound is disturbing a specific neighbor, it's measured by the distance the sound carries during quiet hours.
It shall be unlawful for any person within any residential zone of the City to use or operate any radio, musical instrument, phonograph, television receiver, or other machine or device for the producing, reproducing or amplification of the human voice, or any other sound in such a manner as to (1) disturb, for that time of the day or night, the reasonable peace, quiet, and comfort of the occupants of neighboring dwellings residing in the area; or (2) create any loud or raucous noise level by such use or operation which is audible to the human ear during the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. of the following day, at a distance in excess of fifty (50) feet from the property line of the noise source, or fifty (50) feet from any such device if in the public right-of-way, within any residential zone of the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-78: 2026 S-78 Supplement contains: Current city legislation passed through March 31, 2026).
Full Breakdown
TOMC §5-21.01 prohibits operating any radio, musical instrument, phonograph, TV, or other sound-producing/amplifying device within a residential zone in a way that either disturbs the peace of neighboring occupants, or is audible to the human ear at a distance of more than 50 feet from the source's property line (or 50 feet from the device itself if it's in the public right-of-way) during the 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. quiet-hours window. A companion general nuisance standard (§5-21.03) also bars any 'loud, unnecessary, and unusual noise' at any hour, judged by factors like property-line noise level, proximity to sleeping areas, and time/duration, so quiet-hours violations aren't the only way a resident can be cited for noise.
Violations & Fines
Violating a Chapter 21 noise provision is enforced as a general municipal code violation; officers can cite based on the objective 50-foot/time-of-day standard without needing to prove a specific neighbor was disturbed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do quiet hours start in Thousand Oaks?
How is a noise violation actually measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thousand Oaks
How Thousand Oaks compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Thousand Oaks to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle quiet hours.