Noise and construction hours in Santa Clara County

Each rule below links to the section of the Santa Clara County Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Santa Clara County's code says

Santa Clara County code What Santa Clara County's code adds
Construction hours on weekdays	7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Applies: Weekdays and Saturdays; construction tools disturbing across a home or business property line; utility emergencies, variances and household power tools excepted. § B11-154 · code text Operating or causing the operation of any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, repair, alteration or demolition work between weekdays and Saturday hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Construction hours on weekends and holidays	Saturdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; no construction at any time on Sundays or holidays. Applies: Construction tools disturbing across a home or business property line; utility emergencies, variances and household power tools excepted. § B11-154 · code text Operating or causing the operation of any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, repair, alteration or demolition work between weekdays and Saturday hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or at any time on Sundays or holidays
Quiet hours	10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Applies: Radios, TVs, instruments, loudspeakers and similar devices that disturb across a home's property line. § B11-154 · code text Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day in a manner as to create a noise disturbance across a residential or commercial real property line
Noise limit at homes	Noise above 45 dBA may last no more than 30 minutes in any hour. Applies: One- and two-family homes, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; 5 dB lower for tones, music or speech. § B11-152 · code text One- and Two-Family Residential \| 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. \| 45 55 Noise above 55 dBA may last no more than 30 minutes in any hour. Applies: One- and two-family homes, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; 5 dB lower for tones, music or speech. § B11-152 · code text One- and Two-Family Residential \| 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. \| 45 55 Noise above 50 dBA may last no more than 30 minutes in any hour. Applies: Multifamily dwellings, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; 5 dB lower for tones, music or speech. § B11-152 · code text Multiple-Family Dwelling \| 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. \| 50 Noise above 35 dBA may total no more than 5 minutes in any hour. Applies: Inside any home, from noise in a neighboring unit, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; 5 dB lower for tones, music or speech. § B11-153 · code text Multifamily dwelling \| 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. \| 35 At most 75 dBA from mobile construction equipment. Applies: Single- and two-family areas, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Sundays and legal holidays; where technically and economically feasible. § B11-154 · code text Daily, except Sundays and legal holidays 7:00 a.m.—7:00 p.m. \| 75 dBA \| 80 dBA \| 85 dBA At most 50 dBA from construction equipment. Applies: Single- and two-family areas, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and all day Sundays and legal holidays; where technically and economically feasible. § B11-154 · code text Daily, 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and all day Sunday and legal holidays \| 50 dBA \| 55 dBA \| 60 dBA At most 60 dBA from stationary construction equipment used 10 days or more. Applies: Single- and two-family areas, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Sundays and legal holidays; where technically and economically feasible. § B11-154 · code text Daily, except Sundays and legal holidays 7:00 a.m.—7:00 p.m. \| 60 dBA \| 65 dBA \| 70 dBA

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Frequently asked questions

What are the noise rules and construction hours in Santa Clara County?

Santa Clara County's code: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Weekdays and Saturdays; construction tools disturbing across a home or business property line; utility emergencies, variances and household power tools excepted.) (§ B11-154); Noise above 45 dBA may last no more than 30 minutes in any hour. (One- and two-family homes, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; 5 dB lower for tones, music or speech.) (§ B11-152).

Noise and construction hours in Santa Clara County

What Santa Clara County's code says

Who this affects

Frequently asked questions

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