Because excessive noise can be harmful to the health and welfare of citizens, the City of San Diego prohibits excessive and annoying noise within City limits. The City's Noise Ordinance (San Diego Municipal Code, Section 59.5.01) defines noise and regulates it by type, land-use zone, and time of day.

Events or actions may be prohibited if they cause a noise disturbance.

Noise Disturbance Examples

Animal Noise
Continuously barking dogs and excessively noisy birds or small animals. For more information, review Animal Noise Frequently Asked Questions.

Construction Noise
Noisy construction equipment and signaling devices not being used for a danger warning. For more information regarding construction noise, please refer to San Diego Municipal Code Section 59.5.0404.

• Loud construction noise is permitted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, but not on Sundays or legal holidays. For more detail, please refer to the Restricted Hours of Construction Guideline. Violators may face penalties such as possible civil fines for construction noise during restricted hours (PDF: 9K).

• Exceptions to the holiday rule are Columbus Day and Presidents' Day.

Equipment and Machinery Noise
Maintenance equipment, stationary delivery trucks on private property, industrial/commercial mechanical units, air-conditioning units and other miscellaneous equipment must be operated within the applicable sound level limits.

• In some cases, the manufacturer must be contacted to provide information on how to minimize the equipment noise.

Downtown Waste Management Noise Variance

Information regarding changes to the hours of waste collection in the downtown area.

• Downtown Waste Management Noise Variance (PDF: 11K)