Sacramento noise ordinance: quiet hours and who to call

When are quiet hours in Sacramento?

Quiet hours: Exterior standard is 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., 5 dBA lower for music or speech. Between apartments, a separate limit applies from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Right now: Checking the clock for Sacramento.
Who to call: Noisy neighbors and parties: Sacramento Police non-emergency, 916-808-5471. Barking dogs: Animal Care Services, 311 or 916-808-7387. Daytime business noise: 311. Emergencies: 911.
The law: Sacramento City Code Chapter 8.68. Read the code

Write a letter for Sacramento Log incidents on this device

We checked this against the city's code and website on October 21, 2026.

Sacramento's noise rules are Chapter 8.68 of the Sacramento City Code, "Noise Control." It has outdoor decibel standards for homes, a separate nighttime limit for noise between apartments and other attached units, and a general rule against loud, unnecessary noise that doesn't need a meter.

Outdoor decibel limits

Section 8.68.060(A) sets the exterior noise standard for residential and agricultural property:

55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The standard is measured over an hour. Under § 8.68.060(B), noise measured on a residential property can't go over the standard for a total of more than 30 minutes in any hour. It can go 5 dBA over for no more than 15 minutes in total, 10 dBA over for 5 minutes, 15 dBA over for 1 minute, and never more than 20 dBA over. At night, then, the limit for noise that goes on for half an hour or more is 50 dBA, and nothing may ever reach 70 dBA.

All of those limits drop by 5 dBA for "impulsive or simple tone noises, or for noises consisting of speech or music" (§ 8.68.060(C)). If the background is already louder than a limit, the limit goes up in 5 dBA steps to cover the background level (§ 8.68.060(D)).

Noise between apartments

Section 8.68.070 covers apartments, condominiums, townhouses, duplexes and other attached homes. From 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., no one may make noise inside their unit that, measured in a neighboring unit, goes over:

45 dBA for a total of more than five minutes in any hour
50 dBA for a total of more than one minute in any hour
55 dBA for any length of time

As with the outdoor standard, the limits go up in 5 dBA steps if the background is already louder.

Loud noise without a meter

Section 8.68.190 makes it unlawful to make "any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise which disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area." Factors include how loud it is compared with the background, how close it is to bedrooms, the time of day, how long it lasts and whether it has musical content.

Section 8.68.200 lists noises that are violations, including:

Yelling, shouting, whistling or singing on public streets, especially from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., or at any time in a way that disturbs people at home (§ 8.68.200(C))
Power saws, planers, hammers and other tools used from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. in a way that disturbs people at home (§ 8.68.200(E))
Pile drivers, pneumatic hammers and similar equipment from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (§ 8.68.200(D))
Keeping an animal or bird "which by causing frequent or long continued noise shall disturb the comfort or repose of persons in the vicinity" (§ 8.68.200(L))
Radios, speakers or TVs outdoors on public property, such as parks, that can be heard 100 feet away (§ 8.68.200(M))

Construction hours

Construction, demolition, alteration and repair noise is exempt from the chapter from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday (§ 8.68.080(D)). Engines need working exhaust and intake silencers to be exempt. Work outside those hours needs permission from the director of building inspections, which can be given for up to three days in urgent cases. Maintenance of street trees and residential property is exempt from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (§ 8.68.080(G)). City and franchised garbage trucks are exempt (§ 8.68.080(K)).

How to complain

The Sacramento Police Department's Neighborhood Nuisances page says noisy neighbors, such as loud music, an out-of-control party, or equipment used too late or too early, are handled by police. To ask for an officer, call the non-emergency dispatch number, 916-808-5471.

The same page says:

The City's Code Compliance Division investigates ongoing noise that needs sound level meter monitoring, or noise of "a habitual or mechanical nature," such as from businesses.
For daytime noise from commercial or industrial operations, call 311, Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Outside those hours, or for noise not related to a business, call 916-808-5471.
Barking dog complaints go to the City's Animal Care Services at 311 or 916-808-7387.

Penalties

Before citing or arresting someone, the City usually has to give notice first (§ 8.68.280(A)). For the decibel rules, that is a written notice listing the violation, any dBA readings with their time and place, and an order to fix the problem. For the general and specific noise rules in §§ 8.68.190 and 8.68.200, the code requires an oral notice for § 8.68.200 and for party cost recovery under § 8.68.140; ignoring the notice is a misdemeanor.

A misdemeanor carries a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both (§ 1.28.020(A)). Each day is a separate offense (§ 1.28.020(E)).
For the outdoor decibel limits in § 8.68.060, each 15-minute period of violation is a separate violation, with an administrative penalty of $1,000 each (§ 8.68.280(A)(3)).
Civil penalties run from $250 to $25,000 for each day a violation continues (§ 8.68.280(C)).

For large parties, if police give a written warning on a first visit and have to come back, the people in charge can be billed for the second response, up to $500 per incident (§ 8.68.140).

California law

California Penal Code § 415(2) makes loud and unreasonable noise a crime when it disturbs another person. The person has to act maliciously and willfully. The penalty is up to 90 days in county jail, a fine of up to $400, or both. The California noise rules page links the statute.

Keeping a record

Sacramento's limits count minutes per hour. Write down when the noise starts and when it stops. The Noisy Neighbor iPhone app logs each incident with the time, length and an estimated decibel level. It exports a PDF report. Phone readings are estimates, not the sound level meter readings the City's notice would list.

Sacramento noise FAQ

What are the quiet hours in Sacramento?

Exterior standard is 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., 5 dBA lower for music or speech. Between apartments, a separate limit applies from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Who do I call about a noisy neighbor in Sacramento?

Noisy neighbors and parties: Sacramento Police non-emergency, 916-808-5471. Barking dogs: Animal Care Services, 311 or 916-808-7387. Daytime business noise: 311. Emergencies: 911.

Where are Sacramento's noise rules?

Sacramento City Code Chapter 8.68. There is a link to the official code at the top and bottom of this page.

What is the fine for a noise violation in Sacramento?

A misdemeanor carries $500 to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both. Breaking the outdoor decibel limits can cost $1,000 for each 15 minutes.

Sources

Last checked October 21, 2026. Laws change, so check the official code before you act. This is not legal advice.