Berkeley County, SC Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Berkeley County, SC, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Normal residential noise hours
- 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Late-night noise
- Weighed as 'unusual' factor after hours
- Exemption
- Safety alarms/sirens exempt any hour
- Exemption
- Emergency repairs exempt any hour
- Penalty
- Fine $100-$500, up to 30 days jail
Summary
Berkeley County's noise ordinance sets normal residential noise to the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. under County Code § 38-1(g), so household noise outside that window is weighed as unusual under the ordinance's nuisance ban. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a $100 to $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.
(g)Times of noise. ... Normal residential noise should be between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).
Full Breakdown
for typical household activity. ' The quiet-hours clause does not carry its own separate exemption list; instead, it operates alongside the exemptions that apply to the whole section, including sirens and alarms used as safety devices under § 38-1(e)(1) and emergency repairs following a fire, accident, or natural disaster under § 38-1(e)(2), both of which remain lawful at any hour. The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office and Berkeley County Code Enforcement Officers enforce § 38-1 jointly under § 38-1(i), and the current version of the section dates to Ordinance No. 21-10-64, adopted October 25, 2021.
Violations & Fines
Residential noise complaints after 10:00 p.m. or before 6:00 a.m. that rise to the level of a § 38-1 violation are misdemeanors: a conviction brings a fine of $100.00 to $500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, under § 38-1(h), with every additional day of a continuing disturbance charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Berkeley County have a nighttime noise curfew?
What noise is exempt from the quiet hours?
What's the fine for violating residential quiet hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berkeley County
How Berkeley County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Berkeley County to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview
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