Whitfield County, GA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Whitfield 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
- Governing section
- Whitfield County Code § 7.5-41
- Street-noise curfew
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- General standard
- Audible 100 feet = violation
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
- Enforcement
- Sheriff's Office, Magistrate Court
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Whitfield County only
Summary
In unincorporated Whitfield County it is unlawful to make any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise that is plainly audible 100 feet from its source, and yelling, shouting, whistling or singing on public streets between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is specifically banned under Sec. 7.5-41. Violations carry up to a $1,000 fine or 60 days in jail.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued in the unincorporated areas of the county, any loud, unnecessary or unusual sound or noise which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others in the county, and which is plainly audible to a person of normal hearing ability at a distance of 100 feet from the point of origin of the sound or noise, or in the case of real property, beyond the property limits from which such sound or noise emanates, which ever is farthest. ... (4)Yelling, shouting, etc. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on the public streets, 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, dwelling, hotel or other type of residence or of any persons in the vicinity.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5-41(a) sets the general noise standard for the unincorporated county: any sound that annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others, and that is plainly audible to a person of normal hearing 100 feet from its source (or beyond the property line, whichever is farther), is unlawful at any hour. Subsection (b) then lists specific acts declared loud and disturbing without limiting the general rule. is a violation outright, and the same conduct is also banned at any hour if it disturbs the quiet of a residence, hotel, office or nearby persons.
on weekdays under (b)(7), though the sheriff's office can authorize night work for up to ten days when delay would cause undue hardship. The ordinance exempts county vehicles on public business, emergency street repairs at night, noncommercial public-address use, and agricultural activity on agriculturally zoned parcels. § 36-1-20(b).
Violations & Fines
Violating any part of Sec. 7.5-41, including the 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. street-noise rule, is prosecuted in Whitfield County Magistrate Court. The maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine, 60 days in jail, or both, per subsection (d). Each occurrence can be charged separately, and officers responding to noise complaints may cite on the spot once the 100-foot audibility threshold or nighttime street-noise ban is met.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours count as quiet hours in unincorporated Whitfield County?
Does the noise ordinance apply inside Dalton, Varnell, Tunnel Hill or Cohutta?
What is the penalty for violating the noise ordinance?
Are construction crews exempt from the quiet-hours rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whitfield County
How Whitfield County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Whitfield County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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