DeKalb County, GA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Commercial limit
- 70 dB(A)
- Industrial limit
- 80 dB(A)
- Mixed-use day
- 70 dB(A) or 73 dB(C), 7:01 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.
- Mixed-use night
- 60 dB(A) or 63 dB(C), 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Measured at
- Property line of affected property
Summary
Unincorporated DeKalb County caps sound at 70 dB(A) in commercial areas and 80 dB(A) in industrial areas, while mixed-use developments run on a clock: 70 dB(A) or 73 dB(C) from 7:01 a.m. until 10:59 p.m., dropping to 60 dB(A) or 63 dB(C) from 11:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m., all measured at the property line.
(b)No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the operation of any source of sound on any property within commercial areas, industrial areas, mixed-use developments that exceeds seventy (70) dB(A) in commercial areas; eighty (80) dB(A) in industrial areas; and seventy (70) dB(A) or seventy-three (73) dB(C) in mixed-use developments from the hours of 7:01 a.m. until 10:59 p.m. or sixty (60) dB(A) or sixty-three (63) dB(C) from the hours of 11:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. Sound shall be measured at any location at or within the property line of the affected property, and sound levels in excess of those established in this section shall constitute prima facie evidence that such sound is in violation of this article.(c)It is unlawful for any person between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to make, cause or allow any sound from a source within his ownership or control that projects, emits or transmits from a commercial area, industrial area, or a mixed-use development if such sound is plainly audible within the interior of a single-family detached sealed dwelling in a residential area or in a common area of a multifamily dwelling in a residential area.(d)The exclusions listed in subsection 16-303(c) apply as exclusions in all commercial and industrial areas and all mixed-use developments as if fully set forth in this section. (Ord. No. 10-20, Pt. I, 11-16-10)
Full Breakdown
Sec. 16-305(b) reaches anyone who causes, suffers, allows, or permits a sound source to exceed the ceilings, wording broad enough to cover a property owner who tolerates a tenant's noise as well as the person actually making it. The ceilings depend on the character of the area. Commercial areas hold 70 dB(A) and industrial areas 80 dB(A), with no day-night split stated for either in this subsection. , the allowance drops to 60 dB(A) or 63 dB(C). The section pairs each mixed-use limit with a dB(C) alternative alongside the dB(A) figure.
Compliance is measured at or within the property line of the affected property, not at the source, and any reading above the applicable ceiling is prima facie evidence of a violation, meaning the measurement itself makes the county's initial case. The article applies only within unincorporated DeKalb County.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the applicable decibel ceiling, as measured at or within the affected property line, is prima facie evidence of a violation. Sec. 16-310 sets a minimum $200 fine on first conviction, rising to $500 and $1,000 for repeat convictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the noise limit for commercial property in DeKalb County?
Does the decibel limit change at night?
Where is the sound measured?
What are the fines for a violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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