7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Wake County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Wake County Code §92.05(L) bans operating or maintaining any garage or filling station in a residential district so as to cause plainly audible unreasonable noise during nighttime hours (11 PM to 7 AM). This protects residential neighborhoods from late-night commercial mechanical work.
Wake County Code §92.05(L) (Ord. passed 12-4-2023)
(L) The conducting, operating or maintaining of any garage or filling station in any residential district so as to cause plainly audible unreasonable noise to be emitted therefrom during nighttime hours.
Wake County Code §92.04(A)(3) permits construction equipment to operate only during DAYTIME HOURS (7 a.m. - 11 p.m.) in unincorporated Wake County, and §92.05(H) prohibits plainly audible unreasonable noise from building erection, alteration, repair, demolition, earth moving, paving or utility construction in residential or business districts during nighttime hours (11 p.m. - 7 a.m.).
Wake County Code §§92.04(A)(3), 92.05(H) (Ord. passed 12-4-2023)
(3) Equipment being used for construction during daytime hours, provided that all equipment, manufacturers mufflers and noise reducing equipment is operated with all standard equipment, manufacturers mufflers and noise reducing equipment in use and in proper operating condition. … (H) The creation or emission of plainly audible unreasonable noise associated with the erection, alteration, substa...
Wake County Code §92.05(O) makes it unlawful to keep any bird, livestock or other animal that, by causing frequent or long-continued plainly audible unreasonable noise, disturbs the comfort or repose of any reasonable person in the vicinity. The rule applies in unincorporated Wake County and is enforced by the Wake County Sheriff's Office.
Wake County Code §92.05(O) (Ord. passed 12-4-2023)
(O) The keeping of any bird, livestock or other animal which by causing frequent or long continued plainly audible unreasonable noise disturbs the comfort or repose of any reasonable person in the vicinity.
Wake County Code §92.04(A)(2) exempts lawn care equipment and agricultural activities from the noise pollution ordinance during DAYTIME HOURS (7 a.m. - 11 p.m.). There is no gas-leaf-blower ban in unincorporated Wake County, and no decibel cap — only the daytime-only restriction and the general "unreasonable noise" standard.
Wake County Code §92.04(A)(2) (Ord. passed 12-4-2023)
(A) The following are exceptions to the prohibition of noise pollution: (1) Emergency warning devices or safety signals. (2) Lawn care equipment and agricultural activities during the daytime hours.
Wake County Code §92.03(A)(2) makes it unlawful to play any radio, music player, television, audio system or musical instrument at a volume that annoys neighboring inhabitants or that is plainly audible to persons other than those on the premises and voluntary listeners. §92.03(B) extends the same rule to car stereos heard outside the vehicle, and §92.03(C)(1) bans vehicle-mounted sound-magnifying devices between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. or within 500 feet of a school, church or hospital.
Wake County Code §92.03(A)(2) (Ord. passed 12-4-2023)
(2) It shall be unlawful to play any radio, music player, television, audio system or musical instrument in the manner or at the volume as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of neighboring inhabitants or at a volume which is plainly audible to persons other than those who are in the premises in which the device or instrument is played and who are voluntary listeners thereto.
Wake County Code §92.05(H), (I), and (L) target industrial and commercial noise: construction over 1,000 ft from residences, loading/unloading noise at night, and garage/filling stations causing noise in residential districts. The UDO Article 7 site performance standards govern operating non-residential uses.
Wake County Code §92.05(H), (I), (L); UDO Art. 7
(H) The creation or emission of plainly audible unreasonable noise associated with the erection, alteration, substantial repair, or demolition of any building, earth moving activities, street paving or utility construction, in a residential or business district during nighttime hours … (1) Where the construction as stated above is 1,000 feet from the nearest dwelling, hotel, motel or other type...
Wake County Code §92.05(B), (C), (F) prohibits vehicle exhaust noise from out-of-repair or modified vehicles, gong/siren on non-emergency vehicles, and any internal combustion exhaust without effective muffler. NCGS §20-128 also requires muffler compliance statewide.
Wake County Code §92.05(B), (F); NCGS §20-128
(B) The use of any automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle so out of repair, so loaded, so modified, or driven in such a manner as to be plainly audible upon any reasonable person so as to create unreasonably loud grating, grinding, rattling or other noise. … (F) The discharge into the open air of the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine, motor vehicle or motorboat...
3 cities in Wake County have their own noise ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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