Kershaw County, SC Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Kershaw 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
- Curfew
- none fixed; factor-based test at all hours
- First offense
- up to $100 fine
- Repeat offense
- up to $250 fine and/or 30 days jail
- Enforcing agencies
- Sheriff's deputies, code enforcement officers
- Governing article
- Code Ch. 24, Art. II, Secs. 24-25-24-28
Summary
Kershaw County has no fixed nighttime curfew hour written into its noise code; instead Sec. 24-26 bans any loud noise that disturbs the peace of an unincorporated residential area at any time, with the time of day or night counted as one factor a court weighs in deciding whether a noise crosses the line.
Sec. 24-26. - General regulation; factors determining prohibited acts. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully make or continue, or cause to be made or continued, any loud noise which disturbs the peace and quiet of any unincorporated residential area or which causes discomfort to any person in any unincorporated residential area of the county (collectively defined as excessive noise). ... In determining whether an occurrence constitutes a violation under this section, a court or other authority should consider ... one or more of the following: (1)The intensity of the noise;(2)The general characteristics of the area where the noise is occurring;(3)The time of day or night that the noise is occurring;(4)The reasonable expectation of quiet that could be expected by individuals on public or private property surrounding the area where such noise is occurring; ... ... Sec. 24-28. - Penalty for violation of article. The violation of any section of this article shall constitute a misdemeanor ... shall, upon conviction thereof may be punishable by a fine of no more than $100.00 for the first offense and no more than $250.00 and/or 30 days in jail for the second offense and following offenses.
Full Breakdown
Rather than setting a specific quiet-hours window, Kershaw County's Article II noise ordinance, Secs. 24-25 through 24-28, adopted by an ordinance of July 24, 2012, bans excessive noise, defined as any loud noise prohibited by Sec. 24-26, in any unincorporated residential area of the county at any hour. Sec. 24-26 covers noise from motor vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, motorboats, mechanical and electrical devices, the human voice, musical instruments, animals, and any activity connected to residential living or business. To decide whether a given noise is a violation, a court or other authority must weigh several statutory factors: the intensity of the noise, the general character of the area, the time of day or night it occurs, the reasonable expectation of quiet enjoyed by people nearby, and any prior complaints from law enforcement or citizens about the same noise.
That time-of-day factor functions as Kershaw County's substitute for a fixed curfew, letting the same activity be lawful in the afternoon and a violation at the same volume overnight in the same neighborhood. Sec. 24-27 assigns enforcement to the county sheriff's deputies or the county's code enforcement officers, either of whom can respond to a residential noise complaint. Sec. 24-28 classifies any violation of the article as a misdemeanor, with escalating penalties for repeat conduct.
Violations & Fines
A first noise violation under Sec. 24-28 draws a fine of no more than $100.00, while a second or later offense within the article can bring a fine of up to $250.00 and up to 30 days in jail. Because the ordinance is a misdemeanor, deputies and code enforcement officers can issue a citation directly rather than referring the matter to a civil hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kershaw County set specific quiet hours?
What kinds of noise are covered?
What happens on a second noise citation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kershaw County
How Kershaw County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Kershaw County to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview
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