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

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Quiet hours in York 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 hours
11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
First violation
Chance to abate, no penalty
Repeat within
90 days becomes a misdemeanor
Maximum penalty
$500 fine or 30 days jail
Applies to
Unincorporated York County only
Governing ordinance
Ord. 722, passed 1-18-22

Summary

York County's noise ordinance bans yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on public streets between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in the unincorporated county, and forbids any noise that disturbs a neighbor's peace at any hour. A first violation earns a chance to abate before misdemeanor charges follow.

City-specific rules exist: Rock Hill has its own quiet hours rules that differ from York County's county-level regulations. If you live in Rock Hill, check the city-specific page instead.

(A) Prohibited noise generally. It shall be unlawful for any person to make or continue, or cause to be made or continued, any unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise, or any noise which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others, within the unincorporated limits of York County. ... (16) Yelling, shouting, etc. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on the public streets, particularly between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or at any time or place so as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in any office or in any dwelling, hotel or other type of residence, or of any persons in the vicinity.

Source: South Carolina Code of LawsView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).

Full Breakdown

016(A) of the York County Code makes it unlawful to make or continue any unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise, or any noise that annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others, anywhere in the unincorporated limits of the county. , as a specific violation, but the same subsection also bars that conduct at any hour if it disturbs the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in an office, dwelling, hotel or other residence. The ordinance covers Lake Wylie, India Hook and every other unincorporated neighborhood; it does not reach Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Clover or the city of York, which enforce their own municipal codes, nor the Catawba Indian Nation's sovereign trust land.

017 sets the enforcement sequence: a public officer, sheriff's deputy or code enforcement officer who receives a complaint and finds a violation must give the offender or property owner an immediate opportunity to abate the noise without penalty. Only if the violation continues or happens again within 90 days does the offender become guilty of a misdemeanor. Officers weigh the noise's level, duration, time of day, whether it is natural or equipment-made, the neighborhood's character and any prior abatement requests before citing anyone. Ordinance 722, adopted January 18, 2022, governs the current chapter.

Violations & Fines

A repeat or continuing violation within 90 days of a warning is a misdemeanor under Section 56.999(A), punishable by a fine up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day of continued noise charged as a separate offense. York County magistrates' courts have jurisdiction to try the charge, and the county may also pursue an injunction or abatement order in addition to criminal prosecution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does York County have a nighttime noise curfew?
Yes. Section 56.016(B)(16) of the county code specifically prohibits yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on public streets in the unincorporated area between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The same rule also applies at any hour if the noise disturbs the quiet or repose of people in a nearby dwelling, office or hotel, so daytime shouting can still be cited.
What happens the first time I'm reported for noise?
Under Section 56.017(C), a public officer who confirms a complaint must give you or the property owner an immediate chance to stop the noise without any penalty. You only face misdemeanor charges if the same noise continues or happens again within 90 days of that first finding.
What is the maximum fine for a noise violation in York County?
Section 56.999(A) sets the penalty at a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both, and treats each day the violation continues as a separate offense. Magistrates' court hears these misdemeanor cases.
Does this quiet hours rule apply in Rock Hill or Fort Mill?
No. This ordinance covers only the unincorporated parts of York County, such as Lake Wylie and India Hook. Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Clover and the city of York are separate municipalities that enforce their own noise codes.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in York County

All York County rules

How York County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina noise ordinances overview

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