Quiet hours in Merced County, CA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Unincorporated Merced County regulates nighttime noise through Chapter 10.60 of the County Code. The nighttime period runs from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., when sound that exceeds the background level by more than 5 dBA across a residential property line is prohibited and several activities, including loud devices and construction, are restricted.
Merced County's noise rules are found in Title 10, Chapter 10.60 (Noise Control) of the County Code, which the County General Plan confirms 'contains the Noise Ordinance.' The chapter does not use a single fixed 'quiet hour' clock; instead, Section 10.60.030 sets a stricter standard at night. Sound is treated as a violation when it exceeds the background sound level by at least 10 dBA during daytime hours (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and by at least 5 dBA during nighttime hours (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) at the receiving property line. Several specific nighttime restrictions reinforce these hours: loudspeakers and public-address systems may not create a noise disturbance across a residential property line between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. (Sec. 10.60.040), and refuse or scavenging collection is restricted overnight. Because much of unincorporated Merced County is agricultural, the ordinance exempts noise from agricultural activities and operations on agricultural property (Sec. 10.60.050). Enforcement runs through the general penalty provisions in Chapter 1.28: an infraction carries fines escalating from $100 to $500 within a year, while repeat or serious violations can be charged as misdemeanors.
Reported to the Merced County Sheriff's Office or Code Enforcement. An infraction is punishable under Section 1.28.030 by a fine not exceeding $100 for the first violation, $200 for a second within one year, and $500 for each additional violation; a misdemeanor under Section 1.28.020 may be punished by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail.
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