Rock Hill, SC Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 20-162(18)(g)
- Allowed hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Decibel cap
- 85 dB(A) at nearest residence
- Covers
- Blowers, mowers, saws, drills, sanders, grinders
- Condition
- Must be maintaining the property it's used on
- Max penalty
- $500 fine or 30 days, § 1-11
Summary
Rock Hill exempts lawn mowers, leaf blowers, saws, drills, sanders, routers and grinders from its general 60-decibel residential noise cap only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and only if the tool doesn't exceed 85 dB(A) measured from the nearest residential property, under City Code § 20-162(18)(g).
g. Sound produced by operating or permitting the operation of any mechanically powered saw, drill, sander, router, grinder, lawn or garden tool, lawnmower or other similar device used between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 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 and was used for the maintenance or upkeep of the property on which it was used;
Full Breakdown
Section 20-162(18) sets a general 60 dB noise ceiling at the lot line for residential areas, but carves out lawn and yard equipment as one of nine lettered exceptions. Subsection (g) exempts "any mechanically powered saw, drill, sander, router, grinder, lawn or garden tool, lawnmower or other similar device," which covers gas and electric leaf blowers as a lawn or garden tool, but the exemption is conditional, not a blanket pass. , or push it past 85 dB(A) at the neighbor's property line, and the exception drops away, exposing the activity to the general 60 dB residential cap in § 20-162(18) and the underlying nuisance-noise prohibition in § 20-161. window apply the same way to both. The Rock Hill Police Department handles complaints under Chapter 20, Division 2 - Noise.
Violations & Fines
Using a leaf blower or other lawn equipment outside the 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. window, or above 85 dB(A) at the nearest residence, loses the § 20-162(18)(g) exception and is punished under the Code's general penalty, § 1-11: up to $500.00, up to 30 days imprisonment, or both, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I use a leaf blower in Rock Hill?
Is there a decibel limit for leaf blowers and mowers in Rock Hill?
Can a landscaping crew run leaf blowers early in the morning in Rock Hill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rock Hill
How Rock Hill compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Rock Hill to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview
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