Short-term rentals in Bakersfield must follow the same BMC Chapter 9.22 noise standards as other residences, with quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Hosts are typically required to post a local contact and enforce a strict no-outdoor-amplification policy after 10 p.m., and repeated violations can lead to permit revocation.
Bakersfield treats short-term rental noise complaints as both a tenant issue and a licensee issue. BMC Chapter 9.22 applies to all residential property regardless of length of stay, so guests at an STR are bound by the 45 dBA nighttime decibel cap and the 10 p.m. amplified-music cutoff. Although Bakersfield has not adopted a standalone STR ordinance as extensive as Los Angeles or San Francisco, operators who hold a business tax certificate and remit transient occupancy tax are expected to maintain a 24-hour local contact who can respond within a reasonable time to noise complaints. BPD dispatches to the property, and cites the guest responsible; the city may also open a code enforcement case against the owner. After two substantiated noise violations in a 12-month period, the business tax certificate can be suspended or revoked under BMC Chapter 1.40 and Title 5. Hosts commonly require guests to sign a house-rules addendum prohibiting outdoor parties, hot-tub use after 10 p.m., and amplified music outside, and install decibel monitors such as NoiseAware or Minut.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Bakersfield code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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