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Tehama County, CA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Covers
off-road/recreational vehicles only
Standard
tied to general § 17.77.030 limits
Daytime exemption
9 a.m.–sunset, private property
Street vehicles (muffler/stereo)
governed by state Vehicle Code
Applies to
unincorporated Tehama County only

Summary

Tehama County bars operating a recreational off-road vehicle in the unincorporated county if its noise exceeds the general noise-ordinance limits or falls outside the chapter's daytime exemption.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Tehama County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

It is unlawful for any person to operate any recreational off-road vehicle within the county in such a manner that the noise level exceeds the noise provisions specified above, or is in violation of the noise criteria as specified under exemptions above.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).

Full Breakdown

Tehama County Code § 17.77.060 makes it unlawful to operate any recreational off-road vehicle in the unincorporated county in a way that exceeds the noise standards set in § 17.77.030, audible, complaint-driven thresholds that apply between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weeknights and 10:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekends, or that falls outside the daytime exemption for private recreational off-road use in § 17.77.040(I). The rule targets dirt bikes, ATVs and similar machines on private land in the unincorporated county; it does not set decibel limits for street-legal vehicle mufflers or stereos, which the California Vehicle Code governs. Red Bluff, Corning and the City of Tehama enforce their own separate vehicle-noise rules.

Violations & Fines

Exceeding the noise limits on an off-road vehicle is enforced like any other Chapter 17.77 violation: county investigation, a citation or abatement order, and district attorney referral if not resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Tehama County regulate loud car stereos or mufflers on public roads?
Not under this chapter, § 17.77.060 addresses off-road recreational vehicles; muffler and exhaust standards for street-legal vehicles come from the California Vehicle Code, not county ordinance.
Can I ride a dirt bike on my rural property at night?
Not if it's audible off your property: off-road vehicle noise is barred outside the daytime exemption and is judged against the county's general nighttime noise standards.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Tehama County

Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsConstruction HoursSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Chickens & LivestockSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsAircraft NoiseFew RestrictionsBarking DogsSome RestrictionsAmplified Music & Outdoor SoundSignificant RestrictionsLeaf Blower RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Native PlantsFew RestrictionsZoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus LawSome RestrictionsWater Use Rules: Recycled Water RulesSome Restrictions

All Tehama County rules

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