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

County Code § 30-42, the 'Loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise' ordinance for unincorporated Houston County, lists loudspeaker and amplifier use among the noises it declares loud, disturbing, and unnecessary, and therefore unlawful. Subsection (c)(5) bans the use of loudspeakers or amplifiers on moving motor vehicles for advertising or other purposes, so a sound truck or car with a PA system broadcasting ads or announcements while driving through the unincorporated county violates the ordinance regardless of volume. Subsection (c)(6) separately bans the use of loudspeakers or amplifiers upon the streets, sidewalks, parks, or other public places of the county, again without a decibel threshold: the act itself is the violation.

The subsection carves out one exception, for any governmental agency, so county-run public address systems, emergency alerts, and similar official uses are not covered. The list of prohibited noises in § 30-42(c) is not exclusive, meaning other loud, disturbing conduct can still be cited under the general standard in subsection (b), which bars any unreasonably loud, disturbing, and unnecessary noise detrimental to health or disturbing the public peace, even if it doesn't fit one of the eight specifically enumerated acts. The ordinance was most recently amended July 3, 2018, after its original December 7, 2010 adoption, when the county added the consumer-fireworks timing rule now found at (c)(8) to the same list.