Noise ordinances › Orange County, CA

Orange County noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: November 4, 2026

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Quiet hours in Orange County

The noise limits step down at 10 p.m.: outside at homes, 55 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Sec. 4-6-5); inside a dwelling, 55 dB(A) and 45 dB(A) for the same hours (Sec. 4-6-6). Division 6 has no separate curfew on parties or music: at any hour the test is the measured level. Construction, repair, remodeling and grading are exempt from the article unless they take place between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays, including Saturday, or at any time on Sunday or a Federal holiday (Sec. 4-6-7(e)). In those hours the work is not banned as such: it loses the exemption and has to meet the limits. Maintenance of real property is exempt from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on any day except Sunday or a Federal holiday, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday or a Federal holiday (Sec. 4-6-7(i)). Mobile noise sources used in agricultural operations follow the same clock as construction (Sec. 4-6-7(g)). Motor vehicle racing, testing, timing and similar noise-producing activities at raceways, speedways, off-road vehicle courses, drag strips and similar places are banned between 11:30 p.m. and 8 a.m. (Sec. 4-6-8.1). Barking and other animal noise has no clock: OC Animal Care's page counts it at any time of day or night.

Decibel limits

Yes, for noise from unincorporated Orange County that reaches residential property. Readings are A-weighted, on a sound level meter at slow response, in dB(A), and the meter must meet ANSI S1.4-1971 for Type 1 or Type 2 or give equivalent data (Secs. 4-6-2, 4-6-3). Exterior standard (Sec. 4-6-5), measured at any point on the affected property (Sec. 4-6-10): 55 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. It is unlawful to exceed the standard for a cumulative period of more than 30 minutes in any hour; the standard plus 5 dB(A) for more than 15 minutes; plus 10 dB(A) for more than 5 minutes; plus 15 dB(A) for more than 1 minute; or plus 20 dB(A) for any period of time. That gives steps of 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75 dB(A) by day and 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 dB(A) at night. Interior standard (Sec. 4-6-6), measured inside another dwelling unit at a point at least 4 feet from the wall, ceiling or floor nearest the noise source, and the windows may be open (Sec. 4-6-10): 55 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. It is unlawful to exceed that standard for more than 5 cumulative minutes in any hour, the standard plus 5 dB(A) for more than 1 minute, or the standard plus 10 dB(A) for any period of time. That gives steps of 55, 60 and 65 dB(A) by day and 45, 50 and 55 dB(A) at night. If the noise consists entirely of impact noise, simple tone noise, speech, music or any mix of these, every level above drops by 5 dB(A), so the exterior night standard becomes 45 dB(A) and the interior night standard 40 dB(A). A loud ambient changes the limit: if the ambient level is above one of the time-based categories, that category's time period is lengthened to reflect it, and if it is above the top category, the top limit rises to the maximum ambient level (Secs. 4-6-5(c), 4-6-6(c)). Schools, hospitals and churches in use get the Sec. 4-6-5 limits, plus a ban on noise that unreasonably interferes with their use or unreasonably disturbs or annoys hospital patients, provided conspicuous signs are displayed in three separate locations within one-tenth of a mile (Sec. 4-6-8). The tables apply only to residential property, which excludes transient uses such as hotels and motels (Secs. 4-6-2, 4-6-5(a), 4-6-6(a)), so Division 6 has no decibel table for noise received at commercial or industrial property. Division 6 has no audibility-distance rule and no general disturbing-the-peace clause.

What the ordinance actually says

Sec. 4-6-1: "In order to control unnecessary, excessive and annoying sounds emanating from unincorporated areas of the County, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the County to prohibit such sounds generated from all sources as specified in this article."

Sec. 4-6-5(a): "The following noise standards, unless otherwise specifically indicated, shall apply to all residential property within a designated noise zone:"

Sec. 4-6-5(a): "In the event the alleged offensive noise consists entirely of impact noise, simple tone noise, speech, music, or any combination thereof, each of the above noise levels shall be reduced by five (5) dB(A)."

Sec. 4-6-5(b): "It shall be unlawful for any person at any location within the unincorporated area of the County to create any noise, or to allow the creation of any noise on property owned, leased, occupied, or otherwise controlled by such person, when the foregoing causes the noise level, when measured on any other residential property, either incorporated or unincorporated, to exceed:"

Sec. 4-6-5(b)(1): "The noise standard for a cumulative period of more than thirty (30) minutes in any hour; or" and (5): "The noise standard plus twenty (20) dB(A) for any period of time."

Sec. 4-6-6(b)(1): "The interior noise standard for a cumulative period of more than five (5) minutes in any hour; or"

Sec. 4-6-7(e): "Noise sources associated with construction, repair, remodeling, or grading of any real property, provided said activities do not take place between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, including Saturday, or at any time on Sunday or a Federal holiday."

Sec. 4-6-11: "The Orange County Sheriff, the County Health Officer, the County Building Official and their duly authorized representatives are directed to enforce the provisions of this article."

Sec. 4-6-15: "Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such."

Quoted verbatim from the official text (Orange County Codified Ordinances Title 4 Division 6 (Noise Control), with California Penal Code §§ 415 and 836.5. The Codified Ordinances of the County of Orange on Municode, "Codified through Ordinance No. 26-003, enacted February 24, 2026. (Supp. No. 157)", version dated Jun 9, 2026: Title 4 (Health Sanitation and Animal Regulations), Division 6 (Noise Control), Article 1 (General Provisions), Secs. 4-6-1 to 4-6-16. Added by Ord. No. 2700, § 1, adopted Sept. 19, 1973; later history lines show Ord. No. 2715 (11-13-73), Ord. No. 2870 (10-1-75), Ord. No. 3093 (10-24-78, Sec. 4-6-8.1) and Ord. No. 3961 (4-2-96, Sec. 4-6-11). Ord. No. 98-16 (December 8, 1998) repealed Sec. 4-6-16 and Ord. No. 04-008 (June 8, 2004) repealed Secs. 4-6-12 to 4-6-14. The three ordinances Municode lists as adopted but not yet codified (Nos. 26-004, 26-005 and 26-006) do not concern Division 6. These provisions govern noise from unincorporated Orange County; cities in the county have their own codes. Barking dog rules (Secs. 4-1-3 and 4-1-59) are described from OC Animal Care's pages. California Penal Code read on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Text read 2026-11-04.). Verified against the live code on 2026-11-04. Ordinances get amended — before acting on a specific provision, check the linked official code. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.

How to file a noise complaint in Orange County

In unincorporated Orange County, call the Sheriff's Non-Emergency Dispatch, (714) 647-7000 or (949) 770-6011, for noise happening now, and 911 for an emergency or crime in progress. The County's code enforcement team, Neighborhood Preservation, also lists noise among what it takes at 714-667-8853 (toll free 1-866-552-8120). No County page read says outright who takes a live noise complaint. The Sheriff comes first here because Sec. 4-6-11 names the Sheriff first among the officials who enforce the article, and the County's service portal says "All other law enforcement request should be reported directly to the local law enforcement agency". Neighborhood Preservation works in the unincorporated communities, and its page says "You can report issues such as property maintenance problems, illegal construction, noise or nuisance violations, and more." Its online portal is myOCeServices.ocgov.com, though the portal's topic list has no noise category (it lists Construction Activity Concerns and Property Violations, among others). Sec. 4-6-11 directs the Orange County Sheriff, the County Health Officer, the County Building Official and their authorized representatives to enforce the article, and authorizes them under Penal Code Section 836.5 to arrest without a warrant when they have reasonable cause to believe a misdemeanor was committed in their presence. A violation is a misdemeanor and each day is a separate offense (Sec. 4-6-15); Division 6 itself states no fine amount, and no general penalty section of the County code was in the text read for this page, so no figure is given here. Barking dogs and other animal noise go to OC Animal Care, whose complaint process covers the unincorporated areas and Anaheim, Brea, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Orange, San Juan Capistrano, Tustin, Villa Park and Yorba Linda. The noise must be 30 minutes or more of incessant noise, or 60 minutes or more of intermittent noise in a 24-hour period. File online or send the form, under penalty of perjury, by email to barkingdogdesk@occr.oc.gov, by fax to (714) 259-1088 or by mail to 1630 Victory Road, Tustin, CA 92782; "Initial complaints cannot be submitted over the phone." A courtesy notice gives the owner ten days; citations come after a second complaint and rest on the complainant's sworn affidavit, and OC Animal Care says it "does not investigate or make a determination that a Barking Dog or Animal Nuisance violation has occurred." Program staff answer questions at (714) 796-6442, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on holidays. Inside a city, call that city's police or, where the city contracts with the Sheriff for police service, the Sheriff's line above; the Anaheim, Santa Ana and Irvine pages cover those cities. County Directory Assistance is 855.886.5400. Sources: https://www.ocsheriff.gov/contact-us, https://pwds.oc.gov/service-areas/oc-development-services/neighborhood-preservation, https://myoceservices.ocgov.com/ServiceRequest, https://animalcare.oc.gov/field-operations/barking-dogs and https://animalcare.oc.gov/field-operations/barking-dogs/adopted-ordinance-cities-complaint-process.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Orange County. For the general playbook — documenting the problem, talking to a landlord or HOA, when 311 beats 911 — see the noise complaints guide.

Worth knowing

(1) Jurisdiction: Division 6 governs sound from unincorporated areas (Sec. 4-6-1). The offense reaches a person "at any location within the unincorporated area of the County", and the noise may be measured on residential property "either incorporated or unincorporated", so someone in a city is covered when the noise comes from across the line in an unincorporated area (Secs. 4-6-5(b), 4-6-6(b)). Sec. 4-6-4 names the whole county, cities included, as "Noise Zone 1", but that only labels the table; it does not make these rules apply to noise made inside a city. Anaheim is a separate jurisdiction with its own code (see the Anaheim page), as are Santa Ana and Irvine (see those pages). Some cities buy police service from the Sheriff (North Operations names Yorba Linda, Stanton and Villa Park), so a Sheriff's deputy at the door does not mean the County's noise limits apply. (2) Homes only: the decibel tables protect residential property and leave out hotels and motels; a business has no table of its own, and a school, hospital or church is covered only if the posted signs are in place (Sec. 4-6-8). (3) Music counts harder: noise made up entirely of speech, music, impact or simple tones loses 5 dB(A) on every step, so music outside a home at night is held to 45 dB(A) for 30 minutes in an hour, and music inside a neighbor's dwelling to 40 dB(A) for 5 minutes (Secs. 4-6-5(a), 4-6-6(a)). (4) Exempt from the article (Sec. 4-6-7): activities on the grounds of any public or private nursery, elementary, intermediate or secondary school or college; outdoor gatherings, public dances and shows under a County license issued under Title 5; activities in a park or playground owned and operated by a public entity; emergency machinery, vehicles or work; devices that protect crops from frost or bad weather; mobile pesticide application for agricultural pest control under permits issued, or regulations enforced, by the Agricultural Commissioner; and anything preempted by state or federal law. Construction, maintenance and mobile agricultural sources are exempt only during the hours shown above. (5) No variance route in the article: Secs. 4-6-12 to 4-6-14, on the variance procedure, the noise variance board and appeals, were repealed by Ord. No. 04-008 on June 8, 2004. (6) Sec. 4-6-9 still prints an 8 dB(A) allowance for air conditioning or refrigeration equipment installed before the article took effect, but only for the five-year period after that date; the article was added in 1973, so read on its own terms the allowance has run out. (7) Official readings call for a meter of the kind Sec. 4-6-2 describes, so a phone reading can support a complaint but is not the measurement the code describes. (8) Two County PDF copies are online. The one linked from the County's Codes page (8876.pdf) matches the Municode text. A second file, named Draft, shows different wording: it adds the OC Public Works Director to the enforcers in Sec. 4-6-11, adds a Sec. 4-6-17 on prohibited noises, and changes other sections. None of that is in the live code, whose sections stop at Sec. 4-6-16, so the Municode text controls. (9) State law also applies: California Penal Code § 415(2) reaches "Any person who maliciously and willfully disturbs another person by loud and unreasonable noise", punishable by up to 90 days in the county jail, a fine of up to $400, or both. No County page read points to it, but Sec. 4-6-15 says the article does not affect other applicable law. (10) Animals: OC Animal Care says a citation under this program can reach the owner of the property or a lessee with the current right of possession, not only the person who keeps the animal, and that it does not identify the complainant at the first step. Placentia and Lake Forest use a separate process, and Santa Ana residents call Santa Ana Animal Control.

Document it before you report it

Orange County's limits are measured numbers, so a reading is direct evidence of how loud it really is. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and see the nearest city we map, on the Anaheim noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.