Noise Ordinances in Beaufort County, SC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Beaufort County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Construction Hours
Beaufort County limits construction staging and plant operations to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. when the site adjoins any residential land use or district, and to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. everywhere else, under the Community Development Code's conditional and special use standards.
Beaufort County Construction Noise Hours
Some RestrictionsBeaufort County Community Development Code § A.2.50.K.2
K.Construction Staging or Plant.1.Reports/studies required. All applications for this use shall include a community impact statement (A.1.30.A).2.If any one adjoining land use or district is residential, hours of operation shall be limited to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. In all other instances, hours of operation shall be limited to 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Barking Dogs
Beaufort County treats chronic barking, howling or crowing that disturbs a reasonable neighbor across a property line or shared wall as a public nuisance under Code of Ordinances § 14-34(b)(10). BCAS investigates by complaint, gives the owner a chance to fix it, and only escalates to a citation after a documented, multi-step notice process.
Beaufort County Animal Noise Nuisance Rules
Some RestrictionsBeaufort County Code of Ordinances § 14-34(b)(10)
(10)Animal noise.a.It shall be a violation for any person to own, keep, possess or harbor an animal of any age which frequently or for a continued duration barks, howls, crows, or makes any other loud noise disturbing, annoying, or causing discomfort to a reasonable person of normal sensitivities across a residential real property boundary or through a common partition within a building.
Aircraft Noise
Beaufort County requires departing aircraft at Hilton Head Island Airport to fly a noise-abatement climb before turning off the runway heading, protecting nearby noise-sensitive neighborhoods, and separately directs operators to minimize most takeoffs during set night and Sunday hours under Code of Ordinances §§ 6-99 and 6-102.
Hilton Head Airport Noise Abatement Climb
Some RestrictionsBeaufort County Code of Ordinances § 6-99
In the interest of noise sensitive areas near Hilton Head Island Airport, an aircraft shall climb on the runway heading, at the best angle of climb to 1,000 MSL or higher, before turning on course, or as directed by the tower.
Decibel Limits
Beaufort County caps outdoor noise at 60 decibels between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and at 80 decibels from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., measured with a digital sound meter, under Code of Ordinances § 70-101(b). Council declares noise above those levels a public nuisance, and violations are heard in Beaufort County Magistrate Court.
Beaufort County Noise Decibel Limits
Some RestrictionsBeaufort County Code of Ordinances § 70-101(b)
Noise in violation of this article shall mean, loud, obnoxious, unnecessary, or excessive noise which disturbs the peaceful enjoyment of private or public property which exceeds 60 decibels measured using a digital sound meter and with enforcement officers' discretion. Noises exceeding this number of decibels between the hours of 10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. shall be a violation. During the hours of 6:...
All Beaufort County ordinances
See every category we cover for Beaufort County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Beaufort County Ordinance Hub →