Kern County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Loud and raucous noise
- Prohibited in unincorporated areas
- Amplified sound limit
- Inaudible 150 feet from property line
- Construction quiet hours
- 9 p.m.-6 a.m. weekdays; to 8 a.m. weekends
- Violation
- Misdemeanor (Sec. 8.36.030)
Summary
Kern County has no STR-specific noise ordinance, but Ordinance Code Chapter 8.36 prohibits loud and raucous noise and restricts amplified sound in unincorporated areas. Construction noise is barred 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays and 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekends near homes.
Section 8.36.020 - Prohibited sounds. It is unlawful for any person to do, or cause to be done, any of the following acts within the unincorporated areas of the county: ... H. To create noise from construction, between the hours of nine (9:00) p.m. and six (6:00) a.m. on weekdays and nine (9:00) p.m. and eight (8:00) a.m. on weekends, which is audible to a person with average hearing faculties or capacity at a distance of one hundred fifty (150) feet from the construction site, if the construction site is within one thousand (1,000) feet of an occupied residential dwelling except as provided below: 1. The development services agency director or his designated representative may for good cause exempt some construction work for a limited time. 2. Emergency work is exempt from this section.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 8.36 of the Kern County Ordinance Code governs noise in the county's unincorporated areas. Section 8.36.010(B) defines loud and raucous noise as sound whose volume, intensity, or carrying power interferes with the reasonable and quiet comfortable enjoyment of life or property. Section 8.36.020 makes it unlawful to willfully make, emit, or transmit loud or raucous noise on public streets, parks, or public property, and to operate a public address system or sound equipment audible 150 feet from the property line of the property where it is located. Subsection (H) bans construction noise between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekends when audible 150 feet away and within 1,000 feet of an occupied dwelling. Vacation-rental hosts and guests are subject to these general standards.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 8.36 is a misdemeanor under Section 8.36.030. Noise complaints in unincorporated Kern County are handled by the Kern County Sheriff's Office and county code compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there quiet hours for short-term rentals in unincorporated Kern County?
Can guests play amplified music outdoors at a Kern County vacation rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kern County
California rules heatmap·Compare Kern County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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