Truckee, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Truckee, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- TMC § 9.20.020.A
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Standard
- 11-factor case-by-case test, no fixed dB limit
- Thin-wall rule
- Noise audible through shared partitions is unlawful
- School exemption
- 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. sanctioned events
- Maintenance exemption
- Minor residential work, 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Summary
Truckee's general noise ordinance makes any noise disturbance unlawful, and Section 9.20.020.A.6 singles out the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.: noise that would be lawful during the day can still count as a violation overnight. There is no fixed decibel limit; enforcement weighs a list of factors instead.
A.It is unlawful for any person to make, continue, or cause to be made or continued any noise disturbance. The factors which should be considered in determining whether a violation of this section exists, include the following: ... 6.The time of day or night, provided that noises occurring between the hours of 10:00 pm and 7:00 am may constitute a noise disturbance even if the same noises occurring at other times of day would not constitute a noise disturbance.
Full Breakdown
A prohibits making, continuing, or causing any noise disturbance and directs that violations be judged against eleven factors, including the sound level of the objectionable noise, the ambient sound level, proximity to dwellings and hotels, the zoning and population density of the area, whether the noise is recurrent or constant, whether it comes from a commercial activity, and whether it is usual, unusual, natural, or unnatural. can constitute a disturbance even where the identical noise at another hour would not. Subsection B separately bars any noise disturbance, or any noise plainly audible through partitions common to two dwelling units in the same building, addressing thin-walled apartments and condos directly.
, Town right-of-way construction, and public health and safety operations such as snow removal, trash collection, street sweeping, and utility repairs, along with warning devices like fire, police, and ambulance sirens.
Violations & Fines
A noise disturbance complaint is evaluated under the eleven listed factors rather than a fixed decibel meter reading, so Truckee Police weigh the time of night, proximity to residences, and duration together; the 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. window makes a marginal noise complaint far more likely to stick after dark. Chapter 9.20 does not carry its own separate fine schedule in this section, so enforcement proceeds as a Town Code infraction subject to citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Truckee have a decibel limit for nighttime noise?
Can noise that's fine during the day still be a violation at night in Truckee?
Is snow removal noise at night exempt from Truckee's noise ordinance?
Are noisy neighbors through an apartment wall covered by Truckee's ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Truckee
How Truckee compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Truckee to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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