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

Sec. 38-47(3)b targets outdoor property where making sound, such as a concert venue, amphitheater, or outdoor stage, is the primary lawful use of that part of the property, as opposed to incidental sound from a restaurant patio, covered separately by Sec. 38-47(3)a. For those venues, amplified sound can't be plainly audible 500 feet or more from the property line between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday or between 7:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and the distance tightens to 200 feet or more overnight, 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weeknights, 11:59 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekend nights.

A venue that wants to run amplified sound past those limits, for a concert, festival, or similar one-off event, isn't automatically shut out: Sec. 38-50 lets it apply for a noise permit at least 20 business days before the event. The application has to include a sound impact plan covering speaker placement and orientation, hours of operation, use of sound-attenuating measures, and a named contact responsible for compliance during the event. The Department of Planning and Development must grant or deny a completed application within five business days, and a denial can be appealed to a three-person appeal team, the Director of Planning and Development, the Chief of Police, and the Chief of Fire and Emergency Services, under Sec. 38-51. Permits issued under Sec. 38-50 max out at 72 hours each and a given property can hold permits for no more than 18 days total in a calendar year.

Business entities running amplified sound in the normal course of operation, such as bars or restaurants, are instead governed by the separate 300-foot/100-foot standard in Sec. 38-47(7), so the (3)b venue rule applies specifically where sound-making itself, not another business, is the property's primary permitted use.