Marietta, GA Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential/commercial day
- 84 dBC, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Residential/commercial night
- 79 dBC, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Industrial
- 89 dBC at all times
- Measurement
- C-weighting barely filters low frequencies
- Enforcement
- Same property-line meter reading as dBA
Summary
Marietta's noise code sets a separate, higher decibel ceiling for bass-heavy, low-frequency sound using C-weighting, which barely filters out very low frequencies the way the standard A-weighted limit does. Table 1 of City Code § 10-6-030 caps residential and commercial property at 84 dBC by day and 79 dBC at night, with industrial property capped at 89 dBC at all times.
"C-weighting" means the electronic filtering in sound level meters that minimally attenuates very low frequencies. ... Receiving Property Category Time Sound Level Limit (dBA) Sound Level Limit (dBC) Residential, public space, institutional, or noise sensitive facility 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 65 60 84 79
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
Most of Marietta's Chapter 10-6 noise limits use dBA, the A-weighted decibel scale that models ordinary human hearing. Section 10-6-020 separately defines 'C-weighting' as the electronic filtering in a sound level meter that minimally attenuates very low frequencies, meaning it captures the deep bass content that A-weighting filters out, and 'dBC' as the resulting C-weighted unit. ; commercial or business property carries the identical 84/79 dBC split; and industrial or manufacturing property is capped at 89 dBC at all times. A sound source that stays under the 65/60 dBA cap but is heavy on bass, a car stereo, a club system, or outdoor speakers, can still violate this dBC ceiling, because the C-weighted reading is taken separately at the same property-line location using the same slow-response meter setting required by § 10-6-030.
The noise control administrator, the police chief or a designee under § 10-6-060, or a trained noise control officer under § 10-6-070, takes the reading and issues any citation, and enforcement runs through Municipal Court of Marietta under § 10-6-100.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the dBC ceiling in Table 1 is a noise disturbance under § 10-6-030, enforced the same way as an A-weighted violation: a citation to Municipal Court under § 10-6-100, with fines up to $500.00 and 30 days for a first or second offense in 24 months, rising to $1,000.00 and three months for a third or repeat offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Marietta have a separate limit for bass-heavy noise?
What is the bass noise limit near industrial property in Marietta?
How is a bass noise complaint measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marietta
Compare Marietta to another location·View the Georgia noise from specific sources overview
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