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

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Amplified music rules in Cobb 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

Scope: Unincorporated Cobb County only; cities have separate codes
Radios/music standard: No decibel number; disturbance to neighbors is the violation
Ambient benchmark: 70 dBA day (7am-10:59pm), 65 dBA night (11pm-6:59am)
Commercial loudspeakers: Banned for street advertising except live voice
Penalty: Misdemeanor under § 1-10, fine/jail/probation per O.C.G.A. § 15-10-60
Meter standard: NIST-certified sound level meter required, § 50-260
Last amended: November 20, 2025 (generator provision added)

Summary

In unincorporated Cobb County, playing a radio, musical instrument, phonograph or other sound-producing device so it disturbs neighbors' peace and quiet is a noise-ordinance violation under County Code § 50-258(2), regardless of decibel reading. Outdoor loudspeakers and sound amplifiers used for commercial advertising are banned outright except for live, in-person voice announcements. Sound trucks face separate restrictions.

City-specific rules exist: Acworth has its own amplified music & outdoor sound rules that differ from Cobb County's county-level regulations. If you live in Acworth, check the city-specific page instead.

The following acts are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this article; but this enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive: ... (2)Radios, phonographs, musical instruments. The using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated of any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants. (3)Loudspeakers, amplifiers for advertising. The using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated of any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph, loudspeaker, sound amplifier or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound which is cast upon the public streets for the purpose of commercial advertising or attracting the attention of the public to any building or structure. Announcements over loudspeakers can only be made by the announcer in person and without the aid of any mechanical device.

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 53).

Full Breakdown

Cobb County's noise ordinance (Code of Ordinances ch. 50, art. VII) applies only in the unincorporated area; Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell enforce their own separate codes. Section 50-258 enumerates specific acts as 'loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises' that violate the article, and the list is explicitly non-exclusive. Subsection (2), 'Radios, phonographs, musical instruments,' makes it unlawful to use or permit the use of any radio, musical instrument, phonograph or similar device 'in a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants'; there is no fixed decibel threshold or curfew for this subsection, since disturbance to neighbors is itself the violation, at any hour.

' Subsection (13) adds sound-truck restrictions, exempting county business vehicles, nighttime street repairs by government, and noncommercial public-address use. , measured at the complainant's location, and officers use certified, NIST-calibrated sound level meters under § 50-260 when a decibel reading is taken. Section 50-259 exempts county-licensed businesses already regulated under a nuisance ordinance, county-funded or county-permitted activities, school-sponsored events on school grounds, and anything otherwise protected by state or federal law. The article was last amended November 20, 2025, adding the generator provision at subsection (16); the enumerated-noises list itself was renumbered from former § 50-257 to § 50-258 by the October 24, 2023 amendment.

Violations & Fines

A person who violates § 50-258 commits a misdemeanor punishable under § 1-10 by a fine, imprisonment, probation, or a combination, up to the maximum a Georgia magistrate court may impose under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-60. Cobb County police and code enforcement respond to disturbance complaints and can cite offenders on the spot. Because continuing noise is treated as a nuisance under § 1-10(e), the county can also seek injunctive relief, and each day a violation persists may be charged as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play music loudly in my backyard in unincorporated Cobb County?

Only if it doesn't disturb your neighbors' peace, quiet or comfort under Code § 50-258(2). There's no fixed decibel number for this subsection: if a neighbor complains and an officer finds the sound unreasonably disturbs them, it's a violation at any hour, day or night. The county's separate 70/65 dBA ambient limits under § 50-257(b) give officers an objective backup measurement, but a disturbance can be cited without one.

Does this rule apply inside Marietta, Smyrna, or Kennesaw?

No. Cobb County's noise ordinance in chapter 50 only governs the unincorporated parts of the county. Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell each maintain their own municipal noise codes, so a resident inside any of those city limits needs to check that city's ordinance instead of the county code.

Can a business use a loudspeaker to advertise outside its store?

No. Section 50-258(3) bans using a loudspeaker or sound amplifier to broadcast advertising or attract attention to a building onto the public streets. Live, in-person announcements without a mechanical device are still allowed, but recorded or amplified advertising sound cast onto the street is prohibited outright, regardless of volume or time of day.

What happens if I'm cited for amplified noise in Cobb County?

The violation is a misdemeanor under § 1-10, punishable by a fine, jail time, probation, or a combination, capped at whatever a Georgia magistrate court may impose under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-60. Because ongoing noise counts as a continuing nuisance, the county can also pursue an injunction, and prosecutors may charge each additional day of disturbance as its own separate offense.

Are school events or county-permitted activities exempt from the noise rules?

Yes. Section 50-259 exempts school-sponsored activities held on school grounds, activities funded or permitted by Cobb County on county property, businesses already licensed under a separate county ordinance that bars disturbances, and anything otherwise authorized by state or federal law. Outside those carve-outs, amplified sound that disturbs neighboring inhabitants remains a citable violation.

Sources & Official References

[1]Cobb County Code of Ordinances § 50-258, Enumeration of prohibited noises (Municode Library)

Other rules in Cobb County

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All Cobb County rules

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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Cities Across Cobb County

Acworth, GA