The Greenville County noise ordinance limits sound to 70 decibels during the day and 60 decibels at night, measured at the complaining neighbor’s property line, and it applies throughout the unincorporated areas of the county. If the noisy property sits inside the city limits of Greenville, Mauldin, Simpsonville, or another municipality, that city’s own noise rules apply instead.
Daytime and Nighttime Limits
The ordinance sets two thresholds based on time of day. Between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM, noise crossing a neighbor’s property line cannot exceed 70 decibels. From 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM, the ceiling drops to 60 decibels.1Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Useful Ordinances – Section: Greenville County Noise Ordinance
The county does not use different limits for residential and commercial zones. The same 70/60 dB thresholds apply countywide. The measurement point is always the property line of the person complaining, not the source of the sound.
How Violations Are Proven
Section 15-101 lays out formal measurement procedures using a sound meter with “A” frequency weighting and the “slow” response setting, placed at the complaining party’s property line.2American Legal Publishing. Greenville County, South Carolina Code of Ordinances – Section: 15-101 Noise Measurement Procedures and Definitions In apartments and condos, the dividing wall between units is treated as the property line.
A formal reading is not required to write a citation. The ordinance preserves the “common sense and common law determination” of what counts as a disturbance or public nuisance.2American Legal Publishing. Greenville County, South Carolina Code of Ordinances – Section: 15-101 Noise Measurement Procedures and Definitions A responding deputy can cite a clearly unreasonable noise without pulling out a decibel meter.
Vehicle Stereos and Bass
A separate rule covers car audio. It is unlawful to play a sound-producing device in a motor vehicle if the sound is audible 50 feet from the source.1Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Useful Ordinances – Section: Greenville County Noise Ordinance No decibel reading is needed. If a deputy can hear it from 50 feet, that is enough.
Section 15-104.1 adds a separate prohibition on bass vibratory sounds, aimed at subwoofers that shake walls from a passing car or a neighbor’s speaker system.
What’s Exempt
Several activities are carved out of the ordinance under Section 15-102(b). Some are exempt around the clock; others only during the day.
Exempt at all hours:
- Construction sites
- Emergency signal devices such as sirens and alarms
- Sanitation and refuse vehicles
- Licensed game hunting on property where hunting is permitted
- Airport and airplane noise
- Government activities
Exempt only between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM:
- Farming and agriculture
- Tree harvesting and land clearing
- Lawn and yard maintenance
- Parades, carnivals, and public social events
Lawfully established businesses and industries in the county are also generally exempt. The one exception is any business where alcoholic beverages are consumed on-site. Bars, breweries with taprooms, and restaurants serving drinks remain fully subject to the decibel limits.1Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Useful Ordinances – Section: Greenville County Noise Ordinance A daytime machine shop is likely protected; a bar playing loud music at midnight is not.
Fines and Other Penalties
Noise cases are heard in magistrate court. Under South Carolina law, magistrate courts can impose a fine of up to $500, imprisonment of up to 30 days, or both.3South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 22 Chapter 3 First-time offenders typically receive a citation and fine. Repeat violations can escalate.
Section 15-106 adds a vehicle-specific penalty: forfeiture and confiscation of the sound equipment. A car stereo that repeatedly draws complaints and citations can be seized along with the fine.
How to File a Noise Complaint
First, confirm the noisy property is in unincorporated Greenville County rather than inside a city’s limits. The county’s GIS maps or a call to dispatch can settle that quickly. Note the address of the noise source, the time it started, how long it has been going on, and what it sounds like.
Call the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at (864) 271-5210.4Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Contact Us A deputy will be dispatched to investigate. The deputy must personally witness the noise to take enforcement action, so call while the disturbance is still happening.
If the deputy confirms a violation, they can issue a citation on the spot under Section 15-103, and the person cited will have to appear in magistrate court. The complaining neighbor may also be called to testify if the citation is contested, so it helps to know that going in.