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

Tulare County regulates vehicle noise on two tracks. First, Section 5-01-1210(k) defines 'Excessive Noise Sources' to include 'frequent, repetitive, or continuous sounds from starting, operating, repairing, rebuilding, or testing of motor vehicles, motorcycles, dirt bikes, or other off-highway vehicles, or any internal combustion engines,' and Section 5-01-1215(b) caps those sounds at 65 dB at the property boundary. Second, Title 4, Chapter 23 ('Restrictions on the Use of Motorcycles, Motor Bikes, All-Terrain Vehicles and Certain Other Motor Vehicles') restricts off-highway vehicle operation within one-half mile of any school, hospital, convalescent home, park, or residential area, where 'within one-half mile of' is defined in Section 4-23-1005(f) and 'residential area' is defined in Section 4-23-1005(g) as any area one-quarter mile in depth abutting a public or private road containing four or more residences or any multi-unit dwelling. Section 4-23-1015 declares any violation of Chapter 23 to be a public nuisance. Exceptions under Section 4-23-1010 preserve agricultural and commercial use of vehicles by property owners on their own land and use of road-registered vehicles on private roads or driveways.