Augusta-Richmond County, GA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Augusta-Richmond County, GA, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Daytime limit
- 300 ft, 7am-11pm (midnight Fri-Sat)
- Nighttime limit
- 100 ft, 11pm-7am
- Apartment/condo limit
- 5 ft beyond unit wall, any hour
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 60 days jail
- Enforced by
- Marshal's Office, Sheriff's Department
Summary
Augusta-Richmond County bans amplified sound and mechanical sound devices plainly audible 300 feet away during the day and 100 feet away overnight, with tighter apartment-to-apartment limits.
It is unlawful for any person or persons to play, use, operate, or permit to be played, used, or operated any radio receiving device, television, stereo, musical instrument, phonograph, sound amplifier or other machines or devices for the producing, reproducing or amplifying of sound and/or noise at such a volume...so as to create...any noises or sounds which are plainly audible at a distance of 300 feet or more from the place, building, structure or vehicle...between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and...7:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Augusta-Richmond County's noise chapter makes it unlawful to play a radio, TV, stereo, musical instrument, phonograph, or other sound amplifier at a volume plainly audible 300 feet from the source between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, or midnight Friday and Saturday, dropping to a 100-foot limit overnight. A separate rule for apartments, condos, and duplexes caps amplified sound at 5 feet beyond the unit's own wall or property line at any hour. The Marshal's Office and Sheriff's Department enforce this; Blythe and Hephzibah, the county's two independent cities, are not covered and enforce their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Cited under Sec. 3-6-4 as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 60 days in the county jail; each instance can be charged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside Blythe or Hephzibah?
What counts as a violation for loud music?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Augusta-Richmond County
Compare Augusta-Richmond County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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