The Pasadena noise ordinance, set out in Chapter 9.36 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, makes it unlawful for any sound to exceed the existing background noise level at a property line by more than five decibels. That single rule is the backbone of enforcement, and the rest of the code layers specific time windows and decibel caps on top of it for construction, deliveries, leaf blowers, apartments, and special events.
The Five-Decibel Rule
Section 9.36.050 doesn’t set one universal decibel number for the whole city. Officers measure the ambient (background) sound at the property line, then measure the sound being complained about. If the difference is more than five decibels, it’s a violation.1City of Pasadena. Ordinance Fact Sheet – Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 9.36 The property line is the boundary between private property (or an event site) and the public right-of-way.2City of Pasadena. Appendix E Noise Modeling Data
How the measurement is taken matters. Section 9.36.040 requires A-weighted sound level meters and adjusts the reading based on the character of the sound. A steady audible tone or a repeating impulsive noise adds five decibels to the reading, which makes those sounds easier to cite. Short-duration sounds get reductions during the day: five decibels off for sound lasting five to fifteen minutes per hour, ten off for one to five minutes, and twenty off for less than a minute per hour. Those daytime discounts apply from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. From 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., there are no duration reductions, and enforcement is tighter.2City of Pasadena. Appendix E Noise Modeling Data
Old Pasadena has its own baseline. Ambient level is set at 60 decibels from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., dropping to 50 decibels from 1:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., which reflects the restaurants and nightlife in the district.
Interior Limits for Apartments and Condos
Section 9.36.060 adds a second layer for multifamily buildings. Noise traveling between units is capped at 60 decibels from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 50 decibels from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.1City of Pasadena. Ordinance Fact Sheet – Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 9.36 Measurements are taken inside the affected unit or twenty feet outside the unit generating the noise.
This rule exists because the general property-line test isn’t much help when the wall between you and the noise is inside the same building. The nighttime 50-decibel cap is roughly the volume of a quiet conversation, so after 10:00 p.m. there’s little margin for stereos, televisions, or gatherings before a neighboring unit has a valid complaint.
Construction Hours Near Homes
Section 9.36.070 restricts construction activity within a residential district and within 500 feet of one. Heavy equipment (pile drivers, forklifts, cement mixers, pneumatic hammers) and any building or repair work that would disturb a reasonable person nearby can operate only during these hours:3City of Pasadena. Construction and Delivery Hours
- Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Sundays and city-listed holidays: prohibited
The holiday list includes New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas.3City of Pasadena. Construction and Delivery Hours A commercial project sitting across the street from houses still has to follow these residential-area hours.
Commercial Delivery and Trash Pickup Hours
Section 17.40.070 limits truck loading, unloading, and trash pickup at commercial properties within 300 feet of a residential zone to:3City of Pasadena. Construction and Delivery Hours
- Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday: prohibited
The rule covers commercial, general commercial, limited commercial, commercial office, and industrial general zoning, plus commercial districts within specific plan areas. Early-morning dumpster pickups from a nearby business are the classic complaint these hours address.
Leaf Blowers
Pasadena treats leaf blowers as a separate problem in Chapter 9.37. Within or within 500 feet of a residential area, leaf blowers can run only during these hours:4City of Pasadena. Ordinance No. 7389 – Leaf Blowing Machines
- Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday: banned
On top of that, no leaf blower may exceed 65 decibels measured from 50 feet away.5City of Pasadena. Pasadena Municipal Code – Chapter 9.37 Leaf-Blowing Machines Many gas-powered units exceed that limit, so the practical effect is a strong push toward quieter equipment. Both the operator and the property owner who hired them can be cited.
Barking Dogs and Animal Noise
Animal noise doesn’t go through the police. It runs through Pasadena Humane, and officers can’t take legal action against a noisy pet unless it has been formally declared a public nuisance.6Pasadena Humane. Animal Noise Complaints
To trigger that declaration, at least three neighbors — each at separate addresses and 18 or older — must sign a petition, keep a seven-day log recording each date and time they hear the animal, and be willing to attend a hearing and testify. Anonymous complaints aren’t accepted. The complaint form is on the Pasadena Humane website, and the agency can be reached at 626-792-7151.7Pasadena Humane. Animal Noise Complaint Form The system is built for chronic problems, not a single loud night.
What’s Exempt
Section 9.36.170 excuses several categories of activity from the noise limits.2City of Pasadena. Appendix E Noise Modeling Data The broadest exemption is emergency and public-agency work: repairs to electrical service, water mains, gas lines, sewers, or downed wires, and street sweeping after an incident, can proceed regardless of the usual restrictions.
Special events can also be permitted above the standard limits. The City Manager can issue permits up to the ceilings set in the Noise Element of the city’s General Plan, and the General Manager of the Rose Bowl has parallel authority for events licensed by the Rose Bowl Operating Company. Each permit specifies its own hours and decibel ceiling.8City of Pasadena. Agenda Report – City Council
How to File a Complaint
For noise happening in the moment — a loud party, off-hours construction, an amplified sound system — the Pasadena Police Department handles the initial response, and the non-emergency line is usually the fastest route. Longer-term enforcement, especially for ongoing issues at commercial properties or construction sites, runs through the Planning and Community Development Department. Animal noise, as noted above, goes through Pasadena Humane.
Penalties
Enforcement escalates. The first step is typically a warning, giving the responsible party a chance to fix the problem. If the noise continues, the city can issue administrative citations, with fine amounts set by city council resolution and increasing for repeated offenses.
Serious or persistent violations can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor under California law, carrying up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in county jail.2City of Pasadena. Appendix E Noise Modeling Data Jail time for a noise offense is rare, but the option gives the city leverage when someone ignores repeated warnings.
Municipal penalties aren’t the only exposure. Under California’s implied warranty of quiet enjoyment, a landlord who knows a tenant is creating chronic disturbances and does nothing can face civil liability from other affected tenants. The ordinance also doesn’t block a neighbor from pursuing a private nuisance claim in court.