Greensboro, NC Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential daytime cap
- 70 dB(C), 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Residential nighttime cap
- 65 dB(C), 11 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Mixed-use/PUD daytime cap
- 85 dB(C)
- Mixed-use/PUD nighttime cap
- 75 dB(C)
- Measurement method
- C-weighted meter, four 30-sec readings
Summary
Greensboro caps noise at residential property lines using a table: 70 dB(C) daytime / 65 dB(C) nighttime in residential and traditional neighborhood zones, and 85/75 dB(C) in mixed-use and PUD zones. City Code § 18-51 makes this the controlling standard when it conflicts with other noise limits.
A noise disturbance shall be presumed to exist where the sound or noise caused by any activity exceeds the maximum lawful decibel limits specified in the residential decibel limits table herein at a property boundary of the structure within the zoning districts shown below which is used, wholly or in part, as a residential dwelling. ... All Residential, TN 70 dB(C) [daytime 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.] 65 dB(C) [nighttime 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.]; Mixed Use, PUD 85 dB(C) 75 dB(C).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 132).
Full Breakdown
Section 18-51, "Sounds impacting residential life," declares it unlawful to "cause, or allow, the emission of sound from any source or sources which impact dwellings and other residential property," and presumes a noise disturbance exists where sound exceeds the maximum lawful limits in the Residential Decibel Limits Table "at a property boundary of the structure within the zoning districts shown" that is used wholly or partly as a residential dwelling. ); for "Mixed Use, PUD" districts, 85 dB(C) daytime and 75 dB(C) nighttime. The section states these limits supersede any conflicting decibel limits elsewhere in the noise article.
Section 18-52 governs how readings are taken: a C-weighted sound level meter meeting ANSI standards, four consecutive 30-second readings at slow response, measured at or within the nearest residential property line occupied by the complainant (or, for multifamily buildings without clear boundaries, from a point abutting the complainant's unit). Operators must have received special training from a sound-measurement expert, with minimum standards prescribed by the chief of police.
Violations & Fines
Any reading that exceeds the applicable table limit "is a violation of this article" per § 18-52(b)(3). Enforcement and penalties run through §§ 18-55 and 18-58: a warning for the first violation, then $200, $350 and $500 civil penalties for successive violations within the schedule, with injunctive relief available against a person who willfully commits three or more violations in a year. Appeals of a citation go to a nonjudicial administrative hearing with the chief of police within 30 days, reviewable only by certiorari in Guilford County Superior Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel level triggers a noise complaint in a Greensboro residential neighborhood?
Are the decibel limits different in mixed-use zones?
How does the city measure decibels for enforcement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greensboro
Compare Greensboro to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview
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