Who Enforces the Noise Code and How to File a Complaint
The Code Compliance Division has primary jurisdiction over most noise concerns. There is generally a Code Compliance Officer on duty during the following hours:
Days:
Evenings/ Nights
During these hours, if you need assistance, please call the Code Compliance Message Line at 323-848-6516. Leave your name, contact number, the location, and a brief description of the concern. The Code Compliance Officer will receive the message and will respond as soon as they are able to.
Outside of the above stated hours, please contact the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Dept. at 310-855-8850. As law enforcement officers, they are empowered to respond to, and enforce the City’s noise ordinance.
Construction is permitted to be performed between the hours of 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, Monday – Friday. On Saturdays, only interior construction can be performed between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM. No construction is allowed on Sundays or on the following holidays:
New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day
The term “construction” includes any activity that takes place that is related to any demolition, repair, maintenance, or construction that requires a building permit. This also includes the loading/ unloading of materials, the use of mechanical paint sprayers, or the staging or idling of construction equipment or food services vehicles at or near construction sites.
Interior construction is considered to be when all construction activities take place inside a structure that is completely enclosed by a roof and walls, with all doors and windows installed and closed.
Construction activities are permitted to take place outside of the normal hours with the issuance of an approved Extended Hours Construction Permit. The code allows the approval of these permits for the following reasons:
**Tree trimming and other landscaping activities is NOT prohibited from taking place on Saturdays and Sundays.
The West Hollywood Municipal Code prohibits the use of any portable leaf blower that is powered by a combustion or gasoline engine.
Electric leaf blowers are permitted.
No animal is permitted to make noise that disturbs the peace of other residents of the City. It is the responsibility of the animal guardian to make sure that their animals are good neighbors.
Barking is one of the ways dogs communicate. It can signify anything from playfulness to danger. The animal guardian is responsible for ensuring that the noise created by the animal is not so frequent or continuous that is rises to the level of a nuisance.
However, dogs sometimes bark when they are:
If you suspect a dog is being mistreated, contact the LA County Dept. of Animal Care and Control at (310) 523-9566.
The causes of barking listed above should not be part of a dog's life. As well as indicating a possibly distressed animal, chronic excessive barking can disturb people living nearby.
Between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM, no noise shall be made by any stereo, television, musical instrument, or similar device that is plainly audible from a distance of 50 feet or more.
Outside of these hours, the noise code is quiet on what constitutes a violation. As such, it is up to a Code Compliance Officer or law enforcement officer to determine if noise being created rises to the level of a violation.
Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM, no person shall repair, test, or operate any motor or mechanical device in a manner that is plainly audible from a distance of 50 feet or more from any structure, or at a distance of 10 feet or more from any residence.
This would include lawn mowers or other landscape tools, compressors, generators, etc.
It is prohibited to generate any noise from a party, event or other gathering of people on private property that is determined by a law enforcement officer to constitute a threat to public peace, health and safety or a violation of this code or state law due to:
As this is a criminal issue, only the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Dept. can respond to these concerns. Please contact them directly at 310-855-8850.
Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM, it is prohibited for any commercial establishment to generate any noise that is plainly audible from a residential property. Outside of these hours, if you feel a business is creating too much noise, the City will use the general noise code to determine whether or not the business is being too noisy.
**Exception – Events that take place under an approved Special Event Permit are exempted from the noise ordinance unless this condition is expressly stated on the permit