Harnett County, NC Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential cap
- 60 dB(A) day, 55 dB(A) night
- Commercial cap
- 75 dB(A) day, 70 dB(A) night
- Industrial/agricultural cap
- 75 dB(A) around the clock
- Tolerance
- Over limit more than 10% of 10+ min period
- Intermittent spike cap
- 15 dB(A) over the base limit
Summary
Harnett County sets numeric decibel ceilings by land use in § 92.29: continuous residential sound is capped at 60 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 55 dB(A) overnight, commercial and business uses at 75/70 dB(A), and manufacturing, industrial or agricultural uses at 75 dB(A) around the clock.
(A) The permissible noise level limits identify the maximum permitted sound levels for continuous sound generated in the use categories listed below. Commercial or business uses 75 (dB) / 70 (dB); Manufacturing, industrial, or agricultural uses 75 (dB) / 75 (dB); Residential uses 60 (dB) / 55 (dB). (B) No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, any source of continuous sound from any use in such a manner as to create a sound level which exceeds the limits set forth for the use category listed above, more than 10% of any measurement period, which shall not be less than ten minutes. (C) For any source of sound, the maximum intermittent sound level shall not exceed the permissible sound levels listed above by 15 dB(A) for all categories.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-7: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through 11-18-2024; and State Legislation current through 2024 Legislative Service #2).
Full Breakdown
29 gives Chapter 92 its only hard numbers. ; commercial or business uses are capped at 75 dB(A) daytime and 70 dB(A) overnight; and manufacturing, industrial, or agricultural uses are capped at 75 dB(A) around the clock with no nighttime reduction. Paragraph (B) builds in tolerance for brief spikes: a source is only in violation if its sound exceeds the limit for the use category 'more than 10% of any measurement period, which shall not be less than ten minutes,' so a measurement period must run at least ten minutes and the source must be over the limit more than one-tenth of that window.
Paragraph (C) sets a separate ceiling for short bursts: the maximum intermittent sound level 'shall not exceed the permissible sound levels listed above by 15 dB(A) for all categories,' meaning even a brief spike can't run more than 15 dB(A) over the applicable cap. 30's methodology using a sound level meter with appropriate frequency weightings. 06.
Violations & Fines
A confirmed § 92.29 exceedance follows the § 92.99 schedule: a written warning for the first detection, then civil citations of $50, $100, $250, and $500 for repeat violations within a 30-day period, plus a $50 delinquency charge on late payment and the possibility of a misdemeanor under G.S. § 14-4 or an injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the decibel limit for noise near a home in Harnett County?
How is a noise measurement period defined?
Can a short loud noise ever exceed the table's limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harnett County
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