Concord, NC Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Audibility distance
- 30 feet or less from a home
- Covered areas
- Indoor and outdoor establishment premises
- Daytime hours
- Governed by general § 30-203 rule instead
- Permit option
- Chief of police may issue noise permit
- First violation fine
- $10.00 misdemeanor
- Enforcing agency
- Concord Police Department
Summary
Concord bars unreasonably loud and raucous noise from a commercial establishment, including its outdoor patio or area, between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when it is plainly audible within 30 feet of any residential property, under City Code § 30-204(13). The rule reaches bars and nightclubs abutting homes.
(13)Commercial establishments adjacent to residential property: Unreasonably loud and raucous noise from the premises of any commercial establishment, including any outdoor area which is part of or under the control of the establishment, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. which is plainly audible at a distance of 30 feet or less from any residential property.
Full Breakdown
Section 30-204(13) is the provision that reaches bars, nightclubs and similar commercial establishments sited near housing. if that noise is plainly audible at a distance of 30 feet or less from any residential property. is exposed even if the sound does not travel far past its own property line. Outside that overnight window the establishment's noise is still subject to the general unreasonable-noise prohibition in § 30-203, which weighs proximity to sleeping areas, zoning, time of day and duration. Concord's outdoor-event exemption in § 30-205(8) covers gatherings the city itself conducts, sponsors or approves, so it does not shield a bar's own late-night entertainment.
Enforcement is handled by the city manager, chief of police or a designee under § 30-209, who must order a violator to stop and offer a chance to remedy the noise before an arrest or citation, and complaints are filed with the Concord Police Department under § 30-208.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is a misdemeanor with a $10.00 fine under § 30-210. Repeat violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to $500.00, and the city may also pursue a $500.00 civil penalty recoverable as a debt owed to the city. An establishment can also apply for a noise permit under § 30-206 for a planned late event.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close does a bar's noise have to reach a home to violate Concord's rule?
Can a nightclub get permission to stay loud past 10 p.m.?
Does this rule apply during the day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Concord
Compare Concord to another location·View the North Carolina noise from specific sources overview
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