How to file a noise complaint in Berkeley

Last updated: October 30, 2026

Documenting this? A dated log of when the noise started, when it stopped and how loud it got is what Berkeley acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.

Berkeley noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; construction 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends, holidays
How it is enforced	Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC)

Official text: Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC), Title 13, Chapter 13.40 "Community Noise", §§ 13.40.010 to 13.40.130: 13.40.010 purpose and intent, 13.40.020 definitions, 13.40.030 general noise regulations, 13.40.040 noise measurement procedure, 13.40.050 exterior noise standards (Table 13.40-1), 13.40.060 interior noise standards (Table 13.40-2), 13.40.070 prohibited acts (including construction Tables 13.40-3 and 13.40-4 and the gas leaf blower ban at B.14), 13.40.080 exemptions, 13.40.090 variances, 13.40.100 and 13.40.110 amplified sound permits, 13.40.115 entertainment establishments, 13.40.120 appeals, 13.40.130 fees (Ord. 5500-NS § 1 (part), 1982; Ord. 6026-NS § 1, 1990, in the history of 13.40.070; Ord. 7122-NS §§ 1 to 14, 2009, the only history line on 13.40.115 and 13.40.130). Also Chapter 13.48 "Civil Penalties for Multiple Responses to Loud or Unruly Parties, Gatherings or Other Similar Events", §§ 13.48.010 to 13.48.070 (Ord. 6182-NS, 1993; Ord. 6974-NS, 2007; Ord. 7177-NS, 2011). Text read on 2026-10-30 on berkeley.municipal.codes (Code Publishing), the code host the City's noise page links, which states "The Berkeley Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 8031-NS, passed July 28, 2026.".

Where to file in Berkeley

Berkeley's noise page says to report a noise disturbance by identifying the source, if known, and submitting a report on the City's online portal as a Miscellaneous Internet Request (https://berkeleyca.qscend.com/311/request/add?typeId=399). The same page lists the Environmental Health Division, which takes sound permit applications, at (510) 981-5310 and envhealth@berkeleyca.gov, and refers excessive noise from animals, such as a barking dog, to the City's Animal Care Services Division at (510) 981-6600. The Police Department's Report a Crime page says "In an emergency, call 911." and "For immediate police response, call (510) 981-5900."; that page does not mention noise, and the noise page does not mention the police. Under the code, a noise control officer equipped with a sound level meter must investigate on receipt of one non-anonymous citizen complaint, or two in a commercial area or about an event (13.40.040); for most violations the officer first gives a warning, and a violation arises if the noise persists after the warning or recurs within eight hours (13.40.030.C, 13.40.070). Animal noise may also be enforced by an Animal Control Officer (13.40.070.B.5). Penalties: any violation of Chapter 13.40 may be charged as a misdemeanor or an infraction under Chapter 1.20 and is a public nuisance that may be abated (13.40.030.B); Chapter 13.40 itself states no fine amount. For a gathering of ten or more people on private property that substantially disturbs the quiet enjoyment of property in a significant segment of a neighborhood, the first police intervention posts a notice on the premises, and a second response within 120 days brings a civil penalty totaling $750, a third $1,500 and each further response $2,500, for which the residents, the sponsors, guests who caused the nuisance and, in set cases, the owners are jointly and severally liable (13.48.020 to 13.48.050). Sources: https://berkeleyca.gov/city-services/livable-neighborhoods/noise-standards and https://berkeleyca.gov/safety-health/police/report-crime.

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-30. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the city's main switchboard or 311 can redirect you.

Before you call

Log it. Date, start and end time, what the noise was and where you heard it from. Three dated entries carry more weight than one angry call.
Measure it if you can. Berkeley sets measured limits, so a reading near the limit is direct evidence. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
Check the rule. Quiet hours in Berkeley: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; construction 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends, holidays. The Berkeley noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
Try the source once. A neighbour, landlord or venue manager often fixes it faster than the city does, and telling them first strengthens a later complaint.

What happens after you file

Non-emergency noise reports are queued, not dispatched, so a first call rarely ends the noise that night. What it does is start a record against the address. Repeated reports, a dated log and a reading are what move a case from a warning to a citation. Where the city needs an officer to witness the noise, as most audibility rules require, file while it is happening rather than the next morning.

How loud is Berkeley in general? The Berkeley noise map shows the federal transportation-noise data for every neighbourhood, and the apartment quiet hours page compares every city's night rule.

Who do I call for a noise complaint in Berkeley?

What are the quiet hours in Berkeley?

10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; construction 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends, holidays. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Berkeley noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Berkeley?

Only if there is danger, a threat or a crime in progress. For ongoing noise use the non-emergency police line or the department named above; repeated calls build an official record tied to the address, which is what code enforcement acts on.

What evidence helps a noise complaint in Berkeley?

Berkeley uses both decibel limits and audibility rules, so keep a dated log and take readings when you can; which rule applies depends on the source of the noise.

This page is a plain-language guide to the reporting route, not legal advice. Ordinances and contact numbers get amended; check the linked official sources before relying on a specific provision.