Oxnard Decibel Limits Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Oxnard Municipal Code Chapter 5.16 establishes a receptor-based noise control framework that governs stationary and operational noise sources throughout the city. The noise limits apply to the receiving land use: if the affected parcel is residential, the residential thresholds apply regardless of what zone the noise source is located in. The daytime period is defined as 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM and the nighttime period as 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM. For residential receiving properties, the exterior limit is 55 dBA during the day and 45 dBA at night. Commercial and mixed-use receiving properties are held to 65 dBA daytime and 60 dBA nighttime. Industrial and manufacturing areas permit higher levels of 70 dBA and 65 dBA respectively. All measurements are conducted using an A-weighted sound level meter on the slow response setting, positioned at the property line of the receiver.

A key adjustment provision adds 5 dB to the measured level — or equivalently subtracts 5 dB from the allowable threshold — when the source sound exhibits a discernible tonal quality (a pure tone or narrow frequency band audible above the ambient spectrum), a repetitive impulse character (hammering, gunshot-like bursts), or continuous speech or music content. This correction means that a pool pump with an audible hum near a residential property line must achieve 40 dBA at night rather than the base 45 dBA limit. Common sources generating complaints in Oxnard include commercial refrigeration equipment along Oxnard Boulevard, HVAC systems on commercial properties adjacent to residential neighborhoods, and amplified sound from the Harbor and Channel Islands Harbor entertainment areas.

Enforcement is handled primarily by the Oxnard Police Department on a complaint basis. Officers may conduct informal assessments; formal dB measurements for enforcement purposes may require a trained code enforcement officer or referral to the Community Development Department. Persistent commercial or industrial noise violations may be referred to the Planning Division for use permit compliance review. The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) does not directly regulate community noise levels but may be consulted for industrial process noise involving air quality equipment.