Vacation rentals in unincorporated Sonoma County must observe quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. under Code Sec. 26-88-120. A certified property manager must respond to noise complaints within 1 hour during the day and within 30 minutes during quiet hours. The county operates a 24/7 Vacation Rental Complaint Hotline at (707) 565-1212; persistent noise violations are grounds for permit revocation under Code Article 92.
Sec. 26-88-120 establishes the operational quiet-hour window from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and prohibits outdoor amplified sound at vacation rentals during those hours. The general countywide noise standards in Sonoma County Code Chapter 1, Article XI (the Noise Ordinance) also continue to apply — those set numerical decibel limits for residential zones at the property line. Each vacation rental must designate a county-certified property manager who is reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and who must contact the renters to correct a noise problem within 1 hour normally, or within 30 minutes during quiet hours. If the property manager fails to respond or the issue is unresolved, neighbors call the county's dedicated Vacation Rental Complaint Hotline at (707) 565-1212, launched in 2022 and staffed 24/7 by Permit Sonoma's contractor. Repeated substantiated complaints can trigger administrative enforcement and revocation under Code Article 92.
Code violations include amplified music after 10 p.m., guest gatherings exceeding permitted occupancy, and failure of the property manager to respond within the required window. Substantiated complaints are logged against the permit; under Sec. 26-88-120 and Article 92 the county may impose administrative citations, suspend, or revoke the vacation rental permit and license for chronic non-compliance.
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