Wayne County, NC Noise from Specific Sources: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (2026)

Section 30-148(c) of the Wayne County Code targets exactly the kind of booming bass that carries through walls: radios, televisions, record players, tape decks, CD players, stereos and musical instruments are all covered, and the test is whether the sound disturbs the quiet, comfort or repose of anyone in a dwelling, motel, hotel or other residence, not a fixed decibel reading. The Sheriff's Office administers and enforces the noise article under § 30-141, and under § 30-151 a trained deputy uses a certified sound level meter from beyond the property line, or from 100 feet if the source sits in a public right-of-way, when a numeric reading is needed for a related complaint.

Section 30-152 sets the process: a resident reports the disturbance to the Sheriff's Office, which investigates and, if it finds a violation, may issue a written warning or a civil citation, or seek criminal process. 00 for the fourth and every citation after that. 00 delinquency charge attaches, and the county can pursue unpaid fines through civil action. Because § 30-148(c) is a general nuisance-noise standard rather than one written for bass specifically, it applies the same way to any amplified sound source loud enough to disturb neighbors, day or night, anywhere in the unincorporated county.