Noise is regulated by Chapter XI of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.  The responsibility for enforcement of the Noise Ordinance is delegated to the Police Department, the Department of Building and Safety, and the Department of Animal Regulation.  The Police Department is responsible for the enforcement of Noise Ordinance violations involving people generated or controlled noises, which are considered disturbances of the peace.  The majority of noise related complaints should be directed to the LAPD at 877-ASK-LAPD.

Should it be necessary to call the LAPD to silence a neighbor, you should obtain business cards from the responding offices who have the authority to issue a noise violation which many result in a monetary fine.

If the noise issue is not resolved without the help of the courts, the responding officers may serve as valuable witnesses should the issue proceed to trial.  In determining whether or not a noise causes a violation of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, the following factors are considered

• Level of the noise
• Nature of the noise
• Origin of the noise
• Level and intensity of any background noise
• Proximity of the noise to sleeping facilities
• Nature and zoning of the area
• Density of inhabitation in the area
• Time of day or night the noise occurs
• Duration of the noise
• Whether the noise is recurrent, intermittent or constant
• Whether the noise is produced by commercial or noncommercial activity

 In most cases, the issuance by the police of a noise violation is the only remedy available to silence a noisy neighbor without the court’s involvement to enjoin the noise violation as a public or private nuisance.  A nuisance is an interference with one’s use and enjoyment of property.  So long as the interference with property is substantial and unreasonable, and would be offensive or inconvenient to the average person, virtually any disturbance of the enjoyment of the property may amount to a nuisance.  A public nuisance claim is brought by and for the benefit of a single party.  Courts consider many factors: the harm that would be caused by discontinuing the activity, the manner in which the activity is conducted, the location of the activity and the nature of the surroundings. 

An alternative to involving the police or the courts is to settle the dispute with your neighbor peacefully through mediation.  The Los Angeles County Bar Association offers Community Mediation Services.  The LA County Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Services Department can be reached at (877) 4-RESOLV.  The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Dispute Resolution service can be reached at (213) 485-8324. 

Regardless of the avenue chosen to address a noisy neighbor, the reality is, they will still be your neighbor.  Taking that fact into account, a cooperative resolution, if possible, is preferable to police or court Intervention.