Cobb County, GA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Cobb 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
- Daytime limit
- 70 dBA from 7:00 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.
- Nighttime limit
- 65 dBA from 11:00 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated Cobb County only, not the six cities
- Landscaping equipment curfew
- Banned 9:00 p.m. to 6:59 a.m. in residential zones
- Construction noise curfew
- Allowed only 7 a.m.-8:59 p.m., Monday through Saturday
- Measurement point
- Complaining neighbor's property line, not the source
- Penalty basis
- Misdemeanor under Section 1-10, per O.C.G.A. Section 15-10-60
Summary
In unincorporated Cobb County, sound that disturbs a neighbor's comfort or repose breaks the noise ordinance once it tops 70 dBA between 7:00 a.m. and 10:59 p.m., dropping to a stricter 65 dBA cap from 11:00 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. Officers measure decibels at the complaining neighbor's property line, not at the noise source, under Cobb County Code Section 50-257.
(a) It shall be unlawful and punishable as provided in section 1-10 for any person within the unincorporated areas of the county to violate any of the provisions of this article. (b) Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud noise which either disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others in the unincorporated areas of the county which: (1) From 7:00 a.m. until 10:59 p.m., exceeds 70 dBA measured from the complainant location; (2) From 11:00 p.m. until 6:59 a.m., exceeds 65 dBA measured from the complainant location. (c) "dBA" means the sound level measured in decibels using the "A" weighting network on a sound meter. dBA levels closely match the perception of loudness by the human ear.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53).
Full Breakdown
Cobb County's general noise curfew sits in Code of Ordinances Article VII, Chapter 50, Section 50-257(b): it is unlawful for anyone in the unincorporated county to make or continue any loud noise that disturbs, injures or endangers a neighbor's comfort, repose, health, peace or safety once that noise crosses 70 dBA measured at the complainant's location between 7:00 a.m. and 10:59 p.m., or 65 dBA between 11:00 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. Section 50-256 defines dBA as the A-weighted sound level read on an ANSI-compliant sound level meter, and Section 50-260 spells out how the reading has to be taken: certified meters calibrated before and after each measurement, taken at or within the property line of the complaining neighbor, sustained for a minimum of three consecutive seconds.
The article backs the general curfew with narrower, activity-specific curfews. Landscaping equipment (lawnmowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, pressure washers, blowers) is barred on residentially zoned parcels between 9:00 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. under Section 50-258(12), tighter than the general 11:00 p.m. line. Construction, demolition or repair work using pile drivers, pneumatic hammers, saws or drills may run only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:59 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under Section 50-258(8), which bars construction noise entirely on Sundays. Section 50-259 exempts county-funded projects and county-permitted activity on county property, school-sponsored events on school grounds, businesses already licensed under a separate county nuisance ordinance, and anything otherwise authorized by state or federal law.
This article governs only the unincorporated county. Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell each enforce their own municipal noise codes inside their city limits.
Violations & Fines
A quiet-hours violation is a criminal misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty section, 1-10, punishable by whatever fine and jail time Georgia law allows magistrate courts to impose under O.C.G.A. Section 15-10-60. Because Section 1-10(e) treats an ongoing violation as a nuisance, Cobb can also seek an injunction to stop repeat noise regardless of any fine already paid, and a fine does not block the county from suspending a violator's business license under Section 1-10(d). Enforcement is complaint-driven, with decibels measured at the complaining neighbor's property line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Cobb County's quiet hours?
Does the Cobb County noise ordinance apply inside Marietta or Smyrna?
Can I mow my lawn or run a leaf blower after dark in Cobb County?
What happens if I get cited for violating quiet hours in Cobb County?
Is any noise exempt from Cobb County's quiet hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cobb County
How Cobb County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Cobb County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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