Contra Costa County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Authority
- Ord. Code Ch. 88-32 (Ord. 2020-12)
- Noise Standard
- No excessive noise inconsistent with residential use
- Decibel Limit
- None set
- Quiet Hours
- Not specified
- Gathering Cap
- 20 persons total
- Special Events
- Prohibited (weddings, conferences)
- State Fallback
- Cal. Penal Code 415
Summary
Unincorporated Contra Costa County regulates short-term rental noise under Ordinance Code Chapter 88-32: no fixed decibel limit or quiet-hours window, but excessive noise inconsistent with residential use is prohibited, gatherings are capped at 20 people, and special events are banned.
88-32.604 Operational Standards. The following standards apply to the use of short-term rentals.
(a) Excessive traffic to and from the short-term rental that significantly impairs the quiet enjoyment of neighboring properties is prohibited.
(b) Excessive noise that significantly impairs the quiet enjoyment of neighboring properties is prohibited. The amplification of sound by any device outside the short-term rental is prohibited. Quiet hours during which noise must be restricted to the interior of the short-term rental shall be between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. the following morning.
(c) The obstruction of any public right-of-way, road, street, highway, or private road is prohibited.
(d) The overnight guest occupancy of a short-term rental may not exceed that approved by the permit. No more than 20 persons, including children, may gather at a short-term rental at any time. (Ord. 2020-12 § 2).
88-32.608 No events. No event, including a conference, wedding, fundraiser, or similar gathering, or any commercial event, may be held at a short-term rental. (Ord. 2020-12 § 2).
Full Breakdown
Contra Costa County's STR ordinance (Chapter 88-32, adopted by Ord. 2020-12) takes a standards-based approach to noise rather than a numeric one. There's no decibel limit and no county-wide quiet-hours window; instead, the operating standard prohibits excessive noise inconsistent with residential use. Two hard limits do the heavy lifting: gatherings at an STR are capped at 20 persons total, and special events, weddings, conferences, and similar commercial functions, are prohibited outright. Active disturbances fall back on California Penal Code 415, enforced by the Sheriff's Office, while repeat complaints feed into permit action under Chapter 88-32.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there fixed quiet hours for short-term rentals in unincorporated Contra Costa County?
Who responds to a noisy short-term rental complaint in unincorporated Contra Costa County?
Do these rules apply inside cities like Walnut Creek or Concord?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Contra Costa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Contra Costa County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.