Fayetteville, NC Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 3-9
- Rule
- Unnecessary aircraft noise prohibited
- Penalty
- $50.01-$500 misdemeanor fine
- Statute basis
- N.C.G.S. § 14-4
- Continuing violation
- Each day is separate offense
- Exempt aircraft
- Federal, state, reciprocal-treaty planes
- Extra enforcement
- Airport privilege suspension, § 3-24
Summary
Fayetteville's code flatly prohibits unnecessary noise by aircraft operators under City Code § 3-9. The rule sits in Chapter 3's aircraft and airport article alongside height, lighting and landing controls, and is backed by the article's own misdemeanor penalty and airport-privilege suspension.
Sec. 3-9. Noise by Aircraft Operation. Unnecessary noise by operators of aircraft is hereby prohibited. (Code 1961, § 4-10) ... Sec. 3-25. Penalty. Any person violating the terms of this Article or the rules and regulations as promulgated by the Fayetteville Regional Airport Commission and the Airport Director, or refusing to comply therewith, in addition to the penalty prescribed in Section 1-7, may be promptly removed from Fayetteville Regional Airport (Grannis Field) ... A violation of any provision of this Article is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine greater than $50.00 but not more than $500.00, pursuant to N.C.G.S. 14-4. Each day's continuing violation shall constitute a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
" It sits among a cluster of operational rules covering minimum flight height (§ 3-6, no lower than 1,000 feet except for takeoff/landing), mandatory night lighting (§ 3-8), and a ban on landing outside an established airport (§ 3-7). Together these sections regulate how aircraft may operate within Fayetteville's jurisdiction and at Fayetteville Regional Airport (Grannis Field), which the city owns and operates. Public aircraft of the federal government, a state, or a foreign country under reciprocal agreement are exempted from the whole article under § 3-2, meaning military traffic tied to the neighboring installation the source calls Fort Bragg is not reached by this city rule.
Enforcement runs through § 3-24, which lets the city suspend or terminate an operator's airport privileges for any violation of the article, and § 3-25, the article's penalty section, which layers on removal from the airport by the Airport Director or Airport Commission plus a criminal fine. The airport director is also empowered under § 3-13 to promulgate rules for airport operations generally, giving day-to-day enforcement discretion beyond the bare noise prohibition. The ordinance dates to the 1961 code (§ 4-10) and has not been substantively rewritten; the surrounding penalty section was last amended by Ord. No. S2023-003 in March 2023.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 3-9, as part of Article I, is punishable under § 3-25 as a misdemeanor carrying a fine greater than $50.00 but not more than $500.00 under N.C.G.S. § 14-4. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. The Airport Director or Airport Commission may also remove a violator from Fayetteville Regional Airport and suspend airport privileges under §§ 3-24 and 3-25.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fayetteville have a specific decibel limit for aircraft?
Who enforces the aircraft noise ban?
Does this rule apply to military aircraft near the base?
What is the fine for violating the noise ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fayetteville
Compare Fayetteville to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.