Georgetown County, SC Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Georgetown County, SC, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 13.8-2(c)(10), Animals and birds
- Enforcing agency
- Georgetown County Sheriff's Office
- Penalty range
- $250 to $500 fine, up to 30 days jail
- Coverage area
- Unincorporated Georgetown County only
- Exemptions
- Public zoos and bona fide agricultural operations
Summary
In unincorporated Georgetown County, a dog or bird that howls, barks or squawks with frequent or continued duration across a property line violates the county's noise ordinance. Sheriff's deputies enforce Code § 13.8-2(c)(10), and violators face a misdemeanor fine of $250 to $500 or up to 30 days in jail, with each incident charged separately.
(10)Animals and birds. Possessing or harboring any animal or bird which frequently or for continued duration howls, barks, meows, squawks, or makes other sounds which create noise disturbance across a real property boundary or within noise sensitive zones. This provision shall not apply to public zoos. ... (h)Enforcement. County sheriff's deputies shall enforce the provisions of this section.(i)Penalties. The violation of any subsection of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by no less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), or more than five hundred dollars ($500.00), or imprisonment not to exceed thirty (30) days. Each offence shall constitute a separate chargeable offence.
Full Breakdown
Georgetown County Code § 13.8-2, the county's noise control ordinance, makes it unlawful in the unincorporated area to possess or harbor an animal or bird that 'frequently or for continued duration' howls, barks, meows, squawks or makes other noise that crosses a real property boundary or disturbs a noise-sensitive zone, per subsection (c)(10). The rule sits inside the county's broader excessive-noise prohibition in subsection (b), which bars any loud, unnecessary and unusual noise that disturbs a nonvoluntary listener's peace and quiet. Public zoos are expressly excluded, and bona fide agricultural operations covered by South Carolina's Right to Farm Act are exempt as well.
When code enforcement or a magistrate weighs a barking-dog complaint, subsection (d) directs them to weigh the volume, whether the sound is usual for the area, how close it is to residential sleeping quarters, the time of day, and whether neighbors or deputies have already asked for abatement. This section governs only the unincorporated Waccamaw Neck, Murrells Inlet, Sampit and Plantersville; a barking-dog complaint inside the City of Georgetown or the Town of Pawleys Island falls under that municipality's own code, not the county's. The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, per subsection (h), is the enforcing agency, and Animal Control operates under the Sheriff's Office for on-the-ground response to nuisance-animal calls.
Violations & Fines
A first finding of excessive animal noise under § 13.8-2 is a misdemeanor under subsection (i), carrying a fine of no less than $250 and no more than $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both. The ordinance treats each occurrence as a separate chargeable offense, so a dog that repeatedly triggers complaints can generate multiple citations rather than one ongoing case. Sheriff's deputies investigate and cite; there is no separate administrative appeal path specified in the section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside the City of Georgetown?
What counts as a violation?
Are farm animals exempt?
What is the penalty for a repeat offense?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Georgetown County
Compare Georgetown County to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview
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