Marietta, GA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Marietta, 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
- Daytime audible limit
- 100 feet, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Nighttime audible limit
- 50 feet, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Covers
- Marietta Square, all public rights-of-way
- No permit relief
- Amplified sound can never get a permit
Summary
Amplified sound equipment in a Marietta public space or right-of-way, including the Marietta Square, cannot be plainly audible more than 100 feet away between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., or more than 50 feet away between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., under City Code § 10-6-050(G).
G.Sound-Making Devices.1.Sound-making devices shall not be operated in a public space or public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, the Marietta Square, at such a volume and in such a manner as to create, or cause to be created, any noises or sounds which are plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet in any direction from the sound-making device, or in the case of real property, beyond the property limits in which the device is located, whichever is farthest, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. ... 2.Between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., sound-making devices shall not be operated in a public space or public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, the Marietta Square, at such a volume and in such a manner as to create, or cause to be created, any noise or sounds which are plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet in any direction from the sound-making device, or in the case of real property, beyond the property limits in which the device is located, whichever is farthest.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-6-050(G), 'Sound-Making Devices,' applies on top of the Table 1 decibel limits in § 10-6-030 to any sound-making device, defined broadly in § 10-6-020 to include a radio, television, stereo, musical instrument, phonograph, loudspeaker, bullhorn or other sound amplification or reproduction equipment, whether self-contained, portable, hand-held, worn, or operated wirelessly. m. , the audible distance drops to 50 feet. A closely related rule in § 10-6-050(F) applies the same 100-foot daytime and 50-foot nighttime plainly-audible test to personal or commercial vehicular music equipment, including boom cars.
Neither of these distance-based standards requires a decibel meter reading; a police officer or noise control officer under § 10-6-070 can establish a violation simply by confirming the sound is plainly audible from the stated distance. No special administrative permit can ever authorize amplified sound above these limits, because § 10-6-090(D) expressly bars the noise control administrator from granting one for amplified sound.
Violations & Fines
Operating a sound-making device in a public space so it's plainly audible past 100 feet by day or 50 feet at night violates § 10-6-050(G). A noise control officer or police officer can cite the violation to Municipal Court under § 10-6-100: up to $500.00 and 30 days for a first or second offense in 24 months, up to $1,000.00 and three months for a repeat offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play amplified music on the Marietta Square?
Can I get a permit to play louder amplified music for an event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marietta
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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cobb County handle amplified music & outdoor sound.