Granville County, NC Noise from Specific Sources: Bar & Nightclub Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- General 'unnecessary noise' ordinance, no bar-specific rule
- Music restriction
- Any volume disturbing others' quiet is barred
- Jukebox curfew
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Crowd rule
- 10+ persons near homes, 11 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Penalty
- Civil citation per day; willful nonpayment a misdemeanor
- Enforcing agency
- County environmental services / sheriff's office
Summary
Granville County has no ordinance written specifically for bars or nightclubs; instead its general 'unnecessary noise' ordinance covers loud music and late gatherings from any premises in the unincorporated area. Playing amplified music that disturbs neighbors, running a jukebox after 11:00 p.m., or drawing crowds of ten or more past 11:00 p.m. near homes all violate Sec. 26-31.
Sec. 26-31. - Unnecessary noise. (a)Subject to the provisions of this section, the creation of any unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise is prohibited. Noise of such character, intensity and duration as to be detrimental to the life or health of any individual is prohibited. ... (3)The playing of any radio, phonograph or other musical instrument in such a manner or with such volume, as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of any person; ... (19)Playing or permitting to be played any piccolo, jukebox, or other musical mechanical slot machine between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; ( ... 20)The gathering of ten or more persons for the purpose of rallies, recreation events, speeches, parades or similar gatherings between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., particularly in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, so that the sleep and repose of persons in any dwelling, hotel or other type of residence is likely to be disturbed.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 26-31(a) prohibits creating any unreasonably loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise anywhere in the unincorporated county, without carving out a separate category for licensed premises. Sec. 26-31(b)(3) specifically bars playing any radio, phonograph, or other musical instrument at a volume that annoys or disturbs the quiet, comfort, or repose of any person, which reaches amplified music spilling from a bar or club. Subsection (b)(19) bars playing a piccolo, jukebox, or other musical mechanical slot machine between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., directly covering coin-operated club music after hours.
Subsection (b)(20) separately targets the crowd side of nightlife: gathering ten or more persons for rallies, recreation events, or similar events between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, where sleep is likely to be disturbed, is itself declared a loud and disturbing noise. Because chapter 26 sets no decibel limit, enforcement turns on whether county officials judge the noise unreasonable given its character, intensity, and duration under subsection (a).
Violations & Fines
A violation of Sec. 26-31 is enforced under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-6: a civil citation directs the violator to appear before the county finance officer within 15 days or pay by mail, and each day the noise continues after notice is a separate offense that can draw its own citation. Willful failure to pay an imposed civil penalty is a misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4, punishable by a fine of $500.00 or 30 days in jail, or both. Because chapter 1's general penalty applies unless a chapter states otherwise, and chapter 26 states no separate criminal penalty for noise, complaints against a bar or club are handled as civil citations rather than criminal charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a decibel limit for bars in unincorporated Granville County?
Can a club run a jukebox all night in the unincorporated county?
Does the noise ordinance cover crowds outside a bar, not just the music?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Granville County
Compare Granville County to another location·View the North Carolina noise from specific sources overview
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