Quiet hours in Kern County, CA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Kern County Code Chapter 8.36 (Noise Control) governs unincorporated areas. § 8.36.020 prohibits construction noise audible at 150 feet between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. weekdays (until 8:00 a.m. weekends) when within 1,000 feet of a dwelling. Cal. Penal Code §415 covers disturbing the peace countywide.
Kern County Code § 8.36.020 (Prohibited sounds) restricts construction activity between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on weekdays, and between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on weekends, where noise is audible to a person of average hearing at 150 feet and the site is within 1,000 feet of an occupied residence. The chapter also restricts amplified music, bells and similar sound devices between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Bakersfield, the county seat, has its own noise rules (Bakersfield Municipal Code Ch. 9.22). Outside cities, Kern County Sheriff enforces 8.36 plus Penal Code §415 disturbing the peace.
Violation of Chapter 8.36 is an infraction or misdemeanor under Kern County Code § 1.12. Penal Code §415 disturbing the peace is a misdemeanor (up to 90 days jail or $400 fine).
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See how Kern County's quiet hours rules stack up against other locations.
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