Quiet hours in Richland County, SC — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Unincorporated Richland County bans any noise that is plainly audible 50 feet from its source and disturbs neighbors, enforced day or night. There are no fixed clock-based quiet hours, but power equipment is only exempt between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Section 18-3 of the Richland County Code (adopted by Ordinance 004-19HR in 2019) makes it unlawful to make or continue any loud, excessive, unnecessary or disturbing noise, or noise that annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others in the unincorporated county. The county measures violations by a plainly-audible-at-50-feet standard rather than a strict curfew. Inside Columbia, Forest Acres, Blythewood and other cities, the municipal noise ordinance governs instead. State disorderly-conduct law (SC Code 16-17-530) also reaches boisterous public noise.
Violations of Section 18-3 are punishable by a fine of up to $500.00, enforced by the Richland County Sheriff's Department and code enforcement.
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