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DeKalb County, GA Noise from Specific Sources: Car Alarm Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Continuous alarm limit
5 minutes
Intermittent alarm limit
10 minutes
Scope
Unincorporated DeKalb County
Governing section
§ 16-303(c)(3)

Summary

Unincorporated DeKalb County exempts car alarms from its nighttime noise curfew only if the alarm shuts off within 5 minutes of continuous sounding, or 10 minutes if it beeps intermittently.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of DeKalb County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sound from any automobile alarm, provided such alarm shall terminate its operation within five (5) minutes of its activation if the sound is uninterrupted, or ten (10) minutes, if the sound is intermittent;(4)The generation of sound in situations within the jurisdiction of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration;(5)National Warning System (NAWAS) sounds used to warn the community of attack or imminent public danger such as flooding, explosion or hurricane;(6)Sound of aircraft operations, where federal regulations preempt the local regulation of such specific operations;(7)Protests, marches, parades, or an event sanctioned by the federal, state or county government(s);(8)Surface carriers engaged in commerce by railroad;(9)Any other activity solely controlled and within the jurisdiction of federal or state law;(10)Sound projected, emitted or transmitted from motor vehicles, as such sound is regulated by O.C.G.A. § 40-6-14(a);(11)An emergency which is a serious urgent situation or occurrence that happens unexpectedly and requires immediate attention;(12)Sound from agricultural activities;(13)Sound from the travel of properly muffled motor vehicles on a public right-of-way;(14)Sound from residential air conditioner units;(15)Sound from swimming pool filtering systems; and(16)Sound resulting from activities for which a special administrative permit has been issued pursuant to the terms of this article. (Ord. No. 10-20, Pt. I, 11-16-10)

Full Breakdown

County Code § 16-303(c)(3) carves automobile alarms out of the general 11 p.m.-7 a.m. plainly-audible noise ban, but only conditionally: the alarm must terminate within five minutes if sounding continuously, or ten minutes if intermittent. An alarm that keeps blaring past that window loses the exemption and becomes a citable noise violation in unincorporated DeKalb County.

Violations & Fines

An alarm that fails to self-terminate in time loses its exemption; violators face a minimum $200 fine on first conviction under Sec. 16-310, rising to $500 and $1,000 for repeats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can my car alarm legally sound in DeKalb County?
Up to 5 minutes if continuous, or 10 minutes if intermittent, under § 16-303(c)(3).
What happens if the alarm doesn't stop in time?
It loses its exemption and is treated as a plainly-audible noise violation, fineable under § 16-310.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in DeKalb County

All DeKalb County rules

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