Laurens County, SC Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

Section 18-21(3) singles out the use or firing of explosives, firearms or other devices that cause unreasonably loud and excessive noise in an unnecessary manner or with unreasonable or unnecessary repetition, naming the hours between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. as the particular window of concern, though the prohibition is not limited to those clock hours. All other noise categories in Article II, amplified sound, barking animals, vehicle horns and exhausts, and yelling, are instead governed around the clock by § 18-20's general standard of reasonableness rather than a fixed curfew.

Enforcement is uniform across the article: § 18-24 lets an officer act on a complaint or personal observation but requires giving the person a chance to stop before citing them, and three or more complaints, or one complaint plus the officer's own observation, is prima facie evidence under § 18-24(b). Section 18-23 lets the officer weigh the time of night, the intensity and repetition of the firing, and the reasonable expectation of quiet on surrounding properties in deciding whether the conduct crossed the line.