Noise Ordinances in Charlotte, NC (2026)
7 verified noise ordinances for Charlotte, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Charlotte bars front-end loaders, garage machinery, construction equipment and lawn tools from running between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in residential zones or within 300 feet of any home, and caps all other mechanical noise at 70 dB(A) at the property line under City Code Section 15-63.
Charlotte Nighttime Noise Curfew Rules
Some RestrictionsCharlotte City Code § 15-63(a), (b)
(a)It shall be unlawful to carry on the following activities in any residentially zoned area of the city or within 300 feet of any residentially occupied structure in any zone of the city:(1)The operation of a front-end loader for refuse collection between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m....(3)The operation of garage machinery between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m....(b)Any mechanical...
Construction Hours
Charlotte bars construction machinery, including bulldozers, jackhammers, pile drivers and air compressors, from running between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in residential zones or within 300 feet of any home under City Code Section 15-63(a)(2), with narrow exceptions for emergencies and city utility work.
Charlotte Construction Noise Curfew Hours
Some RestrictionsCharlotte City Code § 15-63(a)(2)
(a)It shall be unlawful to carry on the following activities in any residentially zoned area of the city or within 300 feet of any residentially occupied structure in any zone of the city:...(2)The operation of construction machinery between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.a."Construction machinery" shall include but not be limited to the use of the following:1.Air compressors.2.Pile driver...
Barking Dogs
Charlotte bans keeping any dog, other animal or bird that habitually howls, yelps or barks so as to seriously annoy a person or the neighborhood. Section 15-66 gives CMPD and animal control a nuisance-noise tool separate from the numeric decibel limits used against machinery and speakers.
Charlotte Barking Dog Noise Ordinance
Light RestrictionsCharlotte City Code § 15-66
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or have in his possession, or harbor, any dog, other animal or bird which, by frequent or habitually howling, yelping, barking or otherwise, causes loud noises and produces seriously annoying disturbance to any person or to the neighborhood.
Leaf Blower Rules
Charlotte bans running lawn mowers and other domestic power tools outdoors, a category that reaches leaf blowers, between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in residential zones or within 300 feet of any home under City Code Section 15-63(a)(4), with exceptions for emergencies and city utility crews.
Charlotte Leaf Blower and Lawn Tool Hours
Some RestrictionsCharlotte City Code § 15-63(a)(4)
(a)It shall be unlawful to carry on the following activities in any residentially zoned area of the city or within 300 feet of any residentially occupied structure in any zone of the city:...(4)The operation of lawn mowers and other domestic tools out-of-doors between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Aircraft Noise
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), an American Airlines hub, generates significant aircraft noise over west and southwest Charlotte neighborhoods. Local noise ordinances do not apply to aircraft operations, which are preempted by federal law (FAA jurisdiction). CLT runs a voluntary noise abatement program and publishes flight track data through its WebTrak portal for residents to review.
Aircraft Noise in Charlotte
Few RestrictionsFAA Aviation Noise Policy and Guidance
Aviation Noise The FAA conducted a nationwide survey regarding annoyance related to aircraft noise. For detailed information on the survey, please review the survey introduction and read the survey report . Further information on FAA's aircraft noise research program, can also be found on a Federal Register notice published on January 13, 2021. This notice invited comments on the FAA's aircraft...
Decibel Limits
Charlotte's noise ordinance sets hard decibel ceilings for amplified sound: 55 db(A) during the day and 50 db(A) at night, measured at the boundary of the nearest residentially occupied property. General mechanical noise elsewhere is capped at 70 db(A) at the nearest complainant's property line, enforced under City Code Chapter 15, Article III.
Charlotte Amplified Sound Decibel Limits
Some RestrictionsCharlotte City Code § 15-64(a)(1)
Operate or allow the operation of any sound amplification equipment so as to create sounds registering 55 db(A) between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday or between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Friday or Saturday or 50 db(A) at any other time, as measured anywhere within the boundary line of the nearest residentially occupied property.
Vehicle Noise
Charlotte bans driving with a removed or broken muffler or noise-control system that creates unreasonably loud, disturbing noise, plus jackrabbit starts, tire-spinning, engine racing and off-road racing. Section 15-67 gives CMPD a stand-alone vehicle-noise offense enforced through Chapter 15's noise penalty schedule.
Charlotte Vehicle Muffler and Racing Noise Law
Some RestrictionsCharlotte City Code § 15-67
It shall be unlawful to operate or allow the operation of any motor vehicle in the city: (1)Which has had its muffler-exhaust and/or other noise-control equipment removed, altered or maintained in such disrepair as to create unreasonably loud and disturbing noises.(2)By engaging in jackrabbit starts, spinning tires, racing engines, or other operations which create unreasonably loud and disturbi...