Noise Ordinances in Winston-Salem, NC (2026)
8 verified noise ordinances for Winston-Salem, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Winston-Salem noise ordinance sets quiet hours from 11 PM to 7 AM in residential zones. Sound plainly audible 50 feet beyond the property line during quiet hours is a civil violation. WSPD enforces complaints.
Noise: Quiet Hours
Some RestrictionsConstruction Hours
Construction noise is allowed 7 AM to 7 PM Mon-Sat in Winston-Salem residential areas. Sunday work or hours outside 7-7 require a permit. Emergency utility work is exempt.
Noise: Construction Hours
Some RestrictionsBarking Dogs
A dog barking continuously for 10 minutes or intermittently for 30 minutes is a nuisance in Winston-Salem. Forsyth County Animal Control handles complaints under the joint city-county agreement.
Noise: Barking Dogs
Some RestrictionsLeaf Blower Rules
Winston-Salem does not ban gas leaf blowers but restricts use to 7 AM to 7 PM in residential zones. Commercial crews follow general noise rules. No decibel-specific blower ordinance exists.
Noise: Leaf Blowers
Few RestrictionsAmplified Music & Events
Amplified music in Winston-Salem must not be plainly audible at 50 feet from the property line during quiet hours (11 PM to 7 AM). Downtown entertainment district venues hold special noise variances for outdoor events.
Noise: Amplified Music
Some RestrictionsAircraft Noise
Smith Reynolds (INT) and Piedmont Triad (GSO) aircraft noise is federally preempted under 49 U.S.C. 40103. Winston-Salem cannot regulate flights. Airports use FAA Part 150 programs.
Noise: Aircraft Noise
Few RestrictionsFAA Aviation Noise Program
Almost 2.6 million passengers fly in and out of U.S. airports every day. Aviation supports 10.6 million American jobs, and moved 39.9 billion pounds of freight in 2016. Along with these benefits, the airplanes that move all these people and products may also disturb those living or working near airports by exposing them to noise. Over the last 40 years, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ...
Industrial Noise
Winston-Salem commercial noise must not exceed about 65 dBA at the nearest residential line by day or 55 dBA at night. Loading docks and HVAC near homes require noise buffers.
Noise: Commercial Noise
Some RestrictionsVehicle Noise
Car audio audible 50+ feet from a vehicle violates Winston-Salem noise code. Exhausts louder than stock are prohibited under N.C.G.S. 20-128. WSPD enforces on sight.
Noise: Vehicle Noise
Some RestrictionsN.C.G.S. 20-128 (Exhaust system and emissions control devices)
(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler, or other exhaust system of the type installed at the time of manufacture, in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, annoying smoke and smoke screens. (b) It shall be unlawful to use a "muffler cut-out" on any motor vehicle upon a highway. (c) ...