Anderson County, SC Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 26-126(b)
- Effect
- Exempts permitted events from noise article
- Government events
- Exempt without separate permit
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
- Unpermitted event risk
- Full noise-article exposure
Summary
Anderson County exempts permitted parades, public performances and gatherings from its countywide noise ordinance, so an event with a properly obtained county permit will not be cited under the noise article no matter how loud it runs. Government-sponsored events get the same pass without needing a separate permit.
No prohibition contained in this article shall apply to any public performance, gathering, or parade for which permission or a permit has been properly obtained from the county, or to any public performance, gathering, or activity conducted or sponsored by a public or governmental body.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 26-126(b) of the noise article states that no prohibition in the article applies to any public performance, gathering, or parade for which permission or a permit has been properly obtained from the county, or to any public performance, gathering, or activity conducted or sponsored by a public or governmental body. This sits inside Article IV, Noise, which otherwise bans unreasonably loud noise disturbing the peace of unincorporated residential areas (section 26-125) and sets specific decibel, time-of-day and duration limits for loudspeakers, radios and sound amplifiers (section 26-127).
weekend/holiday sound-system curfew in section 26-127(3). The noise article applies only in the unincorporated county; parades inside the City of Anderson or the towns of Belton, Honea Path, Williamston or Pendleton fall under those municipalities' own codes.
Violations & Fines
Because section 26-126(b) is an exemption, a properly permitted parade or gathering carries no noise-article violation exposure. An event that proceeds without the required county permission is not covered by the exemption and can be cited under section 26-125 or 26-127, a misdemeanor under section 26-122 carrying a $100.00 first-offense fine and the general section 1-7 penalty (up to $500.00 civil fine) thereafter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit for my parade's amplified sound to be legal?
Does a government-run festival need a noise permit in Anderson County?
What if my parade runs without a county permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anderson County
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