If you’re an active producer or artist in LA, the cost of recording studios can add up. Like most of us, you’ve probably wondered if it would be worth just recording at home or even setting up a studio in your garage!
Living in LA is expensive enough on its own— adding in studio costs, hiring engineers, and finding parking every time you want to attend a session is costly.
Below, we cover the zoning requirements, noise ordinances, building codes, and insurance considerations for operating a recording studio out of your home in LA.
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📍 Zoning Regulations for LA Studios
What exactly is a “recording studio” and why does it matter?
LA’s City Planning board says a recording studio is “anywhere designed for the treatment or manufacturing of recorded music, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, or video recordings.”
In plain English, that means anywhere where you make or produce music.
Commercial Zoning for Recording Studios
To legally operate a commercial recording studio or rehearsal studio in LA, you need to operate in a commercial zone.
Depending on the zone your property is in, there may be restrictions on what type of facility you can own and operate.
Example Rehearsal Studio Zoning
One of my favorite rehearsal studios in North Hollywood, Amp Studios, is located at 5259 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601.
In the map above, the blue rectangle in the middle is Amp Studios. In this part of North Hollywood, areas in red are zoned for commercial use.
Specifically, C4 commercial zoning, which is “intended to create and preserve certain commercial areas for development as regional retail centers.”
🙉 Noise Ordinances
Noise ordinances are laws that regulate the amount of noise that is allowed in a particular area. In Los Angeles, noise ordinances are enforced by the Los Angeles Police Department.
What is LA’s Noise Ordinance for Music?
LA’s noise ordinance laws are crystal clear.
“No sound amplifying equipment shall be installed, operated, or used for commercial purposes at any time in any residential zone or within 500 feet of a residential zone.”
That includes speakers, amplifiers, studio monitors, radios, megaphones, subwoofers, and anything else that makes noise.
What about if you want to record or practice at home or in your apartment for “noncommercial” purposes and personal use?
“The use of sound amplifying equipment for noncommercial purposes is prohibited between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of the following day.”
Again, zoning laws around Los Angeles are different in every neighborhood. Check with the LA City Planning Office to learn if your home or facility is in residential or commercial zone.
Be mindful of the noise levels of your recording equipment and any other noise-generating activities that may occur during recording sessions (such as loud conversations or music playback).
Complaints from Neighbors
Fights about LA’s recording studio zoning laws have made the news over the years, but it seems like little action is ever taken.
If you want to avoid a knock on your door from the city, just keep it low key. Be nice to your neighbors and take steps to soundproof your space.
It’s unlikely you’ll get busted for an illegal home studio from the city as long as your neighbors don’t think you’re a jerk.
Soundproofing Your Studio
If you need to try and keep the noise down, try these tips to lower the decibel level.
- Install soundproofing windows: Replacing your normal windows with soundproof windows can significantly reduce the amount of noise that enters or leaves the room. These types of windows are made with multiple panes of glass and have a special layer in between that helps to block sound.
- Hang soundproofing curtains or blinds: Heavy curtains or blinds can help to absorb sound and block it from traveling through windows.
- Use rugs and carpets: Rugs and carpets can help to absorb sound and reduce the amount of echo in a room, which can make it easier to record and mix audio too.
- Install a door sweep: A door sweep is a strip of material that is attached to the bottom of a door and helps to seal the gap between the door and the floor. This can help to block sound from getting out of the room.
Insurance for Home Studios
Even if the city of Los Angeles doesn’t care much about you running a studio from home, your insurance company might!
It is important to have insurance for your home recording studio in order to protect yourself and your business in the event of an accident.
Some types of insurance that may be necessary for a home recording studio include the following:
- General Liability Insurance—This covers general damages or injuries that happen in your studio.
- Business Income Insurance—This covers any income loss because of an accident.
- Commercial Property Insurance—This protects you if anything happens to the building you’re operating in.
It’s very possible to own and operate a recording studio from your home in LA.
That said, you should check to make sure your property is zoned for it. Get the necessary business licenses, insurance, and permits before you invite clients over.
And if you decide to get loud, make sure that you’ve soundproofed your walls and checked with the neighbors so the city doesn’t