Greenville County, SC Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime cap
- 70 dB, 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
- Nighttime cap
- 60 dB, 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.
- Meter standard
- ANSI S 1.4-1071, A-weighted, slow response
- Wall clearance variance
- 5 dB if under 5 feet
- Enforcing agency
- Greenville County Sheriff's Office
- First offense
- Warning/abatement, no fine
Summary
Greenville County caps sound crossing a property line at 70 decibels between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and 60 decibels overnight under County Code § 15-102(a). The limit applies countywide to radios, musical instruments, phonographs, TVs and other sound-producing devices, measured with a calibrated meter at the complaining party's property line.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association, partnership, joint venture, corporation or entity within any area of the county to use or operate any radio, receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph set, television set or other machine or device for producing or reproducing of sound or to create, assist in creating, permit, continue or permit the continuance of any noise to emanate beyond the exterior of property line of the complaining party, in excess of 70 decibels (dB) between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. of 1 day or in excess of 60 decibels (dB) between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of 1 day and 7:00 a.m. of the following day.
Full Breakdown
m. 4-1071 Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meter, with the microphone at least 5 feet from any wall and 3 feet above the ground; if the 5-foot wall clearance isn't achievable, a 5 dB variance applies. For apartments, condos or other multifamily buildings, the 'property line' becomes the wall separating individual units, and for noise from vehicles or people in streets and common areas, the reference point shifts to the wall of the nearest dwelling or school, with the microphone placed 5 to 10 feet from that wall. fall outside the cap, and most lawfully established businesses are exempt too, except establishments serving alcohol on-site.
Violations & Fines
Complaints go to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office under § 15-103. An officer who confirms a violation gives the offender a chance to abate the noise immediately without penalty; a continuing or repeat violation is a misdemeanor punished within magistrate's court's jurisdictional limits, with each day of ongoing violation counted as a separate offense under § 15-105.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the noise limit in unincorporated Greenville County?
How does the county measure decibels for a noise complaint?
Does the decibel limit apply to apartment noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenville County
Compare Greenville County to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview
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