Amplified music rules in Guilford County, NC — also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances — set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Guilford County Code Sec. 11-8 targets amplified music directly. Sound from a home stereo is presumed unlawful if audible 30 feet past your property line, and a commercial venue's amplified sound heard 30 feet past its property line is presumed illegal between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Sec. 11-8(b)(2) covers radios, TVs, stereos and sound systems at a dwelling, hotel or motel, especially between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and creates a presumption of violation when the sound is audible 30 feet or more from the property line (or a hotel unit's outer wall). Sec. 11-8(b)(11) separately addresses commercial or entertainment venues: mechanically amplified sound is presumed unreasonable if heard 30 feet or more past the facility's property line between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Both provisions apply in unincorporated Guilford County.
Sheriff or designee may warn, then impose civil penalties of $200/$400/$500 for repeat offenses within a year; also a Class 3 misdemeanor with fine up to $500.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
guilford-county-nc
Backyard composting for your own yard and food waste is allowed; the county has no ordinance banning home compost bins. The public-nuisance code does bar acc...
guilford-county-nc
Guilford County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf on residential lots. Because turf is an impervious-type surface, it may c...
guilford-county-nc
Guilford County does not mandate native plants for private yards, but its Unified Development Ordinance sets planting standards for required landscape and bu...
guilford-county-nc
Rain barrels and cisterns are legal; Guilford County has no ordinance banning or restricting rainwater capture. Greensboro even offers a residential rain-bar...
guilford-county-nc
Guilford County itself does not run a drinking-water utility and sets no lawn-watering ordinance. Outdoor-watering limits come from your city water provider'...
guilford-county-nc
The county's minimum-housing code requires every yard to be kept free of noxious weeds or plant growth detrimental to health. Separately, a public-nuisance o...
See how Guilford County's amplified music & events rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.