Charleston, SC Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Open window/door cutoff
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Exterior wall speakers
- Restricted whenever audible on street
- Applies to
- Any person, entity, or establishment
- Not covered
- Registered sound trucks (§21-26)
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Charleston bars any establishment from letting amplified sound reach the street through open windows or doors after 11 p.m., and separately prohibits sound from any exterior wall-mounted speaker if it can be heard on a public street at any time. Sections 21-16(h) and (i) target the two ways bar and nightclub sound most often escapes onto the sidewalk.
(h) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (f) herein, it shall be unlawful for any person, entity or establishment to play, operate or cause to be played or operated, any radio, amplified musical instrument including but not limited to brass or drum instruments, or other amplified device or apparatus making or reproducing musical or other sounds after 11:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. when the said sounds emanate from an open window or door opening of a structure in such a manner as to be audible in any public street or right-of-way. (i) Except as provided in subsection (f) it shall be unlawful for any person, entity or establishment to play, operate or cause to be played or operated, any radio, amplified musical instrument including but not limited to brass or drum instruments, or other amplified device or apparatus making or reproducing musical or other sounds when the said sounds are transmitted through a speaker which is mounted on an exterior wall or surface of the structure in such a manner as to be audible in any public street or right-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 114 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
"when the said sounds emanate from an open window or door opening of a structure" in a manner audible from a public street or right-of-way, which squarely covers a bar or club with open storefronts or garage doors facing King Street or a similar corridor. m. Both provisions apply to any "person, entity or establishment," language that squarely reaches commercial venues, and neither applies to registered sound trucks under Section 21-26.
Violations & Fines
Charleston Police Department officers enforce both subsections under the Code's general penalty in Section 1-16 because Section 21-16 itself sets no fine: up to $500 and 30 days in jail, with each night of continued violation chargeable separately. Officers can issue a Uniform Ordinance Summons on site under Section 1-20 without arresting the operator or owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Charleston bar leave its garage doors open with music playing late at night?
Are rooftop bar speaker systems restricted differently than indoor music?
Does the noise ordinance apply to restaurants as well as nightclubs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
Compare Charleston to another location·View the South Carolina noise from specific sources overview
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