Noise Ordinances in Wayne County, NC (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated Wayne County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Construction Hours
In unincorporated Wayne County, § 30-148(e) bars construction, excavation, demolition, alteration, or repair work in a residential area between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., except in cases of urgent necessity for public safety. Interior-only construction during those hours is separately exempted under § 30-149(21).
Wayne County Construction Noise Hours
Some RestrictionsWayne County Code § 30-148(e)
(e)It shall be unlawful to engage building operations involving construction, excavation, demolition, alteration or repair of any building in a residential area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of any day, except in the case of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety.
Barking Dogs
In unincorporated Wayne County, § 30-148(d) makes it unlawful to keep any animal or bird in a manner that causes frequent or long continued noise unreasonably disturbing the comfort and repose of anyone nearby. The Sheriff's Office enforces the rule on a complaint basis under the county's noise ordinance.
Wayne County Barking Dog Noise Rule
Light RestrictionsWayne County Code § 30-148(d)
(d)It shall be unlawful to keep any animal or bird in a manner causing frequent or long continued noise that shall unreasonably disturb the comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity.
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
In unincorporated Wayne County, § 30-148(c) bars playing a radio, stereo, or other sound-amplifying device loudly enough to disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of anyone in a dwelling, motel, or hotel, and § 30-150 backs that up with a 90-decibel ceiling on continuous sound.
Wayne County Amplified Sound Rules
Some RestrictionsWayne County Code §§ 30-148(c), 30-150
(c)It shall be unlawful for any person to play any radio, television set, record player, tape deck, CD player, stereo, musical instrument, sound producing or sound amplifying device, or musical instrument in such a manner or with such volume as to disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of any person of in any dwelling, motel, hotel, or other type of residence. ... The maximum permissible noise l...
Aircraft Noise
Unincorporated Wayne County's noise ordinance exempts aircraft noise outright: County Code § 30-149(5) excuses noise from the normal operation of properly equipped aircraft, and § 30-149(20) exempts noise from a public airport's normal operations, a rule that matters directly given Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's flight operations in the county.
Wayne County Aircraft Noise Exemption
Few RestrictionsWayne County Code § 30-149(5), (20)
(5)Noises generated from the normal operation of properly equipped aircraft; ... (20)Any noise emanating from a public airport or surrounding areas as the result of normal airport operations.
Decibel Limits
Unincorporated Wayne County caps noise at 90 decibels under County Code § 30-150: continuous sound cannot exceed 90db for more than one minute in any ten-minute period, and intermittent sound is held to the same 90db ceiling, measured by the Sheriff's Office with a certified sound level meter.
Wayne County Sets 90-Decibel Noise Cap
Some RestrictionsWayne County Code § 30-150
The maximum permissible noise level limits for continuous sound is 90 decibels. (1)No person shall operate or cause to be operated any source of continuous sound from any use in such a manner as to create a sound level which exceeds the limits of 90db more than one minute of any ten minute period unless excepted in section 30-149.(2)For any source of sound, the maximum intermittent sound level ...
Vehicle Noise
In unincorporated Wayne County, § 30-148(b) bars sounding a vehicle horn, signal device, or siren so as to create an unreasonably loud or harsh sound, and separately bars sounding such a device for more than ten seconds in a way that disturbs anyone's quiet, comfort, or repose.
Wayne County Vehicle Horn Noise Limit
Some RestrictionsWayne County Code § 30-148(b)
(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to sound any horn, signal device, or siren or any automobile, motor vehicle, bus, truck, or other vehicle, except as a danger signal or as required by law, so as to create any unreasonably loud or harsh sound. It shall be unlawful for the sounding of such device for greater than ten seconds of time to disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of any person in ...
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