Forsyth County, GA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Forsyth County, GA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Day limit
- 70 dB(A) residential
- Night test
- Audible at 50 feet
- Code
- Forsyth County § 34-153
- Enforcement
- Sheriff's Office
Summary
Unincorporated Forsyth County caps residential noise at 70 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. under Code § 34-153. Between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., music or a device plainly audible 50 feet away is a violation.
No person shall permit, operate or cause any source of sound to create a sound level in a residential zone or within any residential building during the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. in excess of 70 dB(A) or ten dB(A) above ambient levels (whichever is more), when measured at or outside the property boundary. The operation of a radio, phonograph, or other machine or device between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the building, structure, or vehicle in which it is located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this paragraph.
Full Breakdown
Forsyth County's noise ordinance, Chapter 34, Article IV of the Code of Ordinances, governs unincorporated areas along the GA-400 corridor and around Lake Lanier. Section 34-153 sets a 70 dB(A) daytime ceiling in residential zones, measured at the property boundary, and treats music or devices plainly audible at 50 feet after 11 p.m. as prima facie evidence of a violation. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office responds to complaints. Cumming, the county's only incorporated city, enforces its own noise ordinance. Georgia authorizes county noise rules under O.C.G.A. § 36-60-24.
Violations & Fines
Enforced by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Code Enforcement under § 34-152. A violation is a county-ordinance offense; fines escalate for repeat or continuing violations, and each day may count as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Forsyth County's quiet hours?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
How Forsyth County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Forsyth County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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