York County, SC Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed hours
- 6:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
- Limit
- Under 85 dB(A) at residence
- Governing law
- York County Code §56.016
- Practical limit
- HOA landscaping rules
Summary
York County allows leaf blowers, lawnmowers, and garden tools between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. as long as they stay under 85 dB(A) at the nearest residence, under York County Code §56.016.
Sound produced by operating or permitting the operation of any mechanically powered saw, drill, sander, router, grinder, lawn or garden tool, lawnmower, agricultural related equipment or activities, or other similar device used between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. and which activity did not produce a sound exceeding 85 dB(A) when measured from the nearest residential property where the sound is being received.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
Unlike many jurisdictions, York County writes lawn equipment straight into its noise ordinance. Powered saws, drills, lawn or garden tools, and lawnmowers are exempt from the 60-decibel residential limit when used between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. and kept under 85 dB(A) at the nearest residential property. Run a blower inside that window at a normal level and there's no violation anywhere in unincorporated York County. Use it before dawn, after 9:00 p.m., or at excessive volume and it loses the exemption. HOA landscaping rules in Fort Mill and Tega Cay subdivisions are often stricter than the county.
Violations & Fines
Yard equipment used outside 6:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. or above 85 dB(A) forfeits its exemption and becomes a citable noise violation, a magistrate-court misdemeanor fined up to $500 or 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a leaf blower early in unincorporated York County?
Are gas leaf blowers banned here?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
How York County compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview
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