Greensboro, NC Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Greensboro, NC, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Outdoor amplified sound curfew
- 11pm-7am
- Restaurant/brewpub exception
- Until 2am, ≤70 dB(C)
- Public-amplifier audibility limit
- 30 feet
- Residential decibel cap
- 70 dB(C) day / 65 dB(C) night
- Penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor, up to $50
Summary
Greensboro bans outdoor amplified sound between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. under City Code § 18-50.1, and separately caps public-property sound amplifiers at audible-beyond-30-feet under § 18-50(o)-(p). Section 18-51 sets numeric decibel ceilings at residential property lines: 70 dB(C) by day and 65 dB(C) at night in residential zones.
(a) Except as otherwise permitted under this article, it shall be unlawful between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of the following day for any person, business or entity to play, operate, use or cause to be played, operated or used, any sound amplification device, amplified musical instrument or sound reproduction device which creates or reproduces audible sound outside any building or structure....§ 18-51 Residential Decibel Limits Table: All Residential, TN — Daytime (7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) 70 dB(C); Nighttime (11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) 65 dB(C).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 132).
Full Breakdown
on six listed holiday nights, including New Year's Eve, Halloween, and the weekends before Memorial Day and Labor Day. Section 18-50(o) and (p) separately ban operating a sound amplifier connected to a radio, stereo, or similar device on public property or in public vehicular areas 'in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of thirty (30) feet,' with an exception for permitted protests or rallies under chapter 26, article IX. ); Mixed Use and PUD districts run higher, at 85 dB(C) daytime and 75 dB(C) nighttime.
The code states the § 18-51 decibel limits supersede any conflicting limit elsewhere in the noise article. A violation of the underlying unreasonable-noise standard, § 18-49, is a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of up to $50.
Violations & Fines
Running outdoor amplified sound after 11 p.m. (2 a.m. for restaurants/brewpubs under 70 dB(C), or on six holiday nights), operating a public-property sound amplifier audible beyond 30 feet, or exceeding the residential decibel table (70 dB(C) day / 65 dB(C) night) is a class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. § 14-4, fined up to $50 per § 18-49.
Frequently Asked Questions
How late can I play amplified music outside in Greensboro?
What decibel level counts as a violation at my property line?
Are there holiday exceptions to the sound curfew?
Can I be cited for a car stereo in a public lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greensboro
Compare Greensboro to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle amplified music & outdoor sound.