Turlock, CA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Turlock, CA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Weekday quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.
- Weekend/holiday quiet hours
- 8:00 p.m.–9:00 a.m.
- Covered tools
- saws, sanders, drills, lawn tools
- Governing section
- TMC § 5-28-110(l)(1)
Summary
Turlock bars saws, sanders, drills, grinders, and lawn or garden tools between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays (8 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends and holidays) whenever the noise crosses a residential or commercial property line.
Operating or permitting the operation of any mechanically powered saw, sander, drill, grinder, lawn or garden tool, or similar tool between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays (or 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekends and legal holidays) so as to create a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial real property line; and
(2) Any motor, machinery, or pump, such as swimming pool or HVAC equipment and the like, installed or replaced after October 11, 1984, shall be sufficiently enclosed or muffled and maintained so as not to create a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial real property line.
(m) Places of entertainment. Operating or permitting the operation or playing of any loudspeaker, musical instrument, motorized racing vehicle, or other source of sound which exceeds ninety-five (95) dBA as read on the scale of a sound level meter inside any place of public entertainment at any point normally occupied by a customer without a conspicuous and legible sign stating "Warning Sound Levels Within May Cause Hearing Impairment."
(n)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4937289; v6 updated 2026-06-25).
Full Breakdown
TMC § 5-28-110(l)(1) prohibits operating any mechanically powered saw, sander, drill, grinder, lawn or garden tool, or similar tool between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, or between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekends and legal holidays, if the sound creates a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial real property line. A companion rule, § 5-28-110(l)(2), requires pool pumps, HVAC units, and similar equipment installed after October 11, 1984 to be enclosed or muffled so they don't cross that same property-line standard at any hour.
Violations & Fines
An infraction citywide under TMC § 1-2-01; the City Attorney can elevate repeat violations to a misdemeanor carrying up to a $500 fine and six months in County Jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can't I use a lawn mower or power tools in Turlock?
Does Turlock's quiet-hours rule cover pool pumps and AC units?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Turlock
How Turlock compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·California rules heatmap·Compare Turlock to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle quiet hours.