Fairfield, CA Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)

Fairfield's noise framework rests on Chapter 25, Article X (the noise ordinance) of the Zoning Ordinance, which establishes objective decibel limits at receiving-property lines through Table 25.1401. Residential receiving properties are typically subject to a daytime limit around 55 dBA and a nighttime limit around 50 dBA (measured under standard A-weighted methodology), with the nighttime period running 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM. The ordinance separately prohibits 'unnecessary noises or sounds which are annoying to persons of ordinary sensitiveness, or which are so harsh or so prolonged or unnatural or unusual in their intensity, time or place of occurrence as to occasion discomfort to the inhabitants of the city,' giving officers a subjective nuisance backstop alongside the objective decibel limits. For any transient lodging that does operate lawfully (commercial-zone hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts), the operator is responsible for guest conduct and can be cited for noise generated by guests. For unlawful sub-30-day rentals in residential zones, the underlying zoning violation is the primary enforcement hook, with noise violations layered on top. Travis Air Force Base aircraft operations are exempted from local noise enforcement under federal preemption (49 U.S.C. §40103), so military overflight noise is not a basis for STR-related complaints even though it shapes neighborhood acoustic environment. Outdoor amplified events on STR or hotel properties require an event permit if the amplification could exceed Table 25.1401 limits.