Westminster, CA Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- WMC Chapter 9.50
- First response
- no fine, written warning issued
- 2nd response fine
- $250
- 6th+ response fine
- $1,100 each
- Window
- 14 days from initial warning
- Liable for minors
- parent or legal guardian
- Appeal path
- Chapter 1.14 administrative hearing
Summary
Westminster does not fine a first noisy gathering, but a written warning follows and every additional police response within 14 days triggers a service fee, from $250 for the second visit up to $1,100 for the sixth and beyond, billed to the responsible person under Chapter 9.50.
§ 9.50.040. Police service fines. A. The first response to a loud or large party shall not incur a fine. B. Subsequent responses shall incur fines in the following manner: 1. The second response within a fourteen day period shall incur a fine in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars. 2. The third response ... five hundred dollars. 3. The fourth response ... seven hundred dollars. 4. The fifth response ... nine hundred dollars. 5. The sixth or any subsequent responses within a fourteen day period shall incur a fine in the amount of one thousand one hundred dollars per response. (Ord. 2489 § 1, 2012)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
50 of the Westminster Municipal Code, adopted by Ordinance 2489 in 2012, lets the city recover the cost of repeat police responses to loud or large parties rather than relying only on criminal citation. 030, when an officer determines a gathering is a threat to public peace, health, safety, or welfare, the officer issues a written 'disturbance violation notice' warning the responsible person that any further response will be billed. 040(A)). 040(B). 020 to include whoever is in charge of the premises, who authorized its use for the party, or who organized it; if that person is a minor, the parent or legal guardian is billed instead.
070. 14. 050 makes clear the fee scheme supplements, and does not replace, criminal or civil prosecution under the Penal Code or other city ordinances for the same conduct.
Violations & Fines
First police response: no fine. Second response within 14 days: $250. Third: $500. Fourth: $700. Fifth: $900. Sixth and each subsequent response: $1,100 per response. Fines are civil debts to the city and may be contested via the Chapter 1.14 administrative hearing process within the appeal window it sets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Westminster fine you for one loud party?
How much does a repeat loud party cost in Westminster?
Who is billed for a loud party fine in Westminster?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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