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Coweta County, GA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)

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

Amplified music rules in Coweta 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

Quiet hours
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Dwelling distance
Audible 100 feet inside a sealed dwelling
Outdoor area distance
Audible 300 feet on neighbor's yard/porch
Landscaping hours
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. only
Construction hours
7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends
Variance
Written approval from county administrator
Effective date
Nov. 4, 2025 (Ord. No. 031-25)

Summary

Coweta County bars any noise, including music from radios, stereos, and sound amplifiers, that is plainly audible inside a sealed dwelling 100 feet away or on a neighboring porch, deck, or yard 300 feet away between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., under Code of Ordinances Sec. 42-8. The rule covers the whole unincorporated county, lists broad exceptions, and lets the county administrator grant written variances for events that would otherwise violate it.

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

Noise means any sound audible to the human ear. Noise includes but is not limited to: (1)Sound produced by mechanical sound-making devices such as radios, stereos, boom boxes, portable media players, televisions, musical instruments, horns, whistles, bells, chimes or carillons, phonographs, loudspeakers, sound amplifiers, and other machines and devices for the producing, reproducing or amplifying of sound.(d)Noise audible within dwellings. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., to make, cause, or allow any noise from any source within their or its ownership or control that is plainly audible in the interior of any sealed dwelling located 100 feet or more away from the property on which the noise originates.(e)Noise audible upon premises of proximate outdoor recreational areas. It is unlawful for any person or entity, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., to make, cause, or allow any noise from any source within their or its ownership or control that is plainly audible upon the premises of any proximate outdoor recreational area that is located 300 feet or more from where the noise originates.

Source: Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.)View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40).

Full Breakdown

Coweta County rewrote its residential noise rule effective Nov. 4, 2025 (Ord. No. 031-25), and Sec. 42-8 now regulates amplified sound and every other kind of audible noise in the unincorporated county rather than relying on the state disorderly-conduct statute alone. The ordinance defines 'noise' broadly to include sound from radios, stereos, boom boxes, televisions, musical instruments, and 'sound amplifiers,' along with human voices, party noise, landscaping equipment, and construction activity, and it uses a 'plainly audible' test, meaning the unaided human ear can hear or detect it, even if words are not distinguishable.

, it is unlawful to make or allow noise that is plainly audible inside a sealed dwelling 100 feet or more from the source, or on a neighbor's porch, patio, deck, pool deck, courtyard, garden, or yard, a 'proximate outdoor recreational area,' 300 feet or more away. m. on weekends, whenever the noise is plainly audible at the same 100-foot or 300-foot distances. Anyone who needs relief for a specific event can apply to the county administrator for a written temporary or periodic variance, which must state the noise source, the reason for the request, its expected effect on neighbors, and the control measures planned, and which the administrator can revoke for violating its conditions or misrepresenting facts in the application. Violations are punished under Sec. 1-15's general penalty.

Violations & Fines

Making or allowing amplified sound or any other noise that is plainly audible inside a neighbor's sealed dwelling 100 feet away, or on their porch, deck, or yard 300 feet away, between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. violates Sec. 42-8, as does running landscaping equipment outside 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. or construction work outside its permitted weekday and weekend hours. Sec. 1-15's general penalty applies: up to $1,000.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get in trouble for playing loud music at night in Coweta County?
Yes. Sec. 42-8 makes it unlawful between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to allow any noise, including music from a radio, stereo, or sound amplifier, that is plainly audible inside a neighbor's sealed dwelling 100 feet away or on their porch, deck, or yard 300 feet away, regardless of whether the volume would violate a decibel meter reading.
What counts as 'plainly audible' under the noise ordinance?
Sec. 42-8 defines it as any noise the unaided and unimpaired human ear can hear or detect, and it specifically says words do not need to be understandable for the sound to count as plainly audible, so a bass beat or muffled music through a wall still qualifies.
Are there exceptions for parties, sports, or construction noise?
Sec. 42-8(f) exempts church bells, school and sports-league activities, permitted parades and fireworks, and several other categories from the nighttime rule outright, and separately allows landscaping equipment from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and construction work from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends.
Can I get permission to run loud equipment or hold a loud event?
You can apply to the county administrator for a written temporary or periodic variance under Sec. 42-8(h), describing the noise source, why you need relief, how it will affect neighbors, and what you will do to limit the impact; the administrator can grant, condition, or revoke it and cannot approve one verbally.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Coweta County

All Coweta County rules

Compare Coweta County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview

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