Noise ordinances › Cherokee County, GA

Cherokee County noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: November 9, 2026

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Quiet hours in Cherokee County

Quiet hours are defined in the code: between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily, and also between 11 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, and from 6:30 p.m. Sunday until 7 a.m. Monday (Sec. 26-37). So on a Sunday the only hours outside quiet hours are 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. In quiet hours it is unlawful to willfully make, continue or cause any excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood, or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing within the limits of the county (Sec. 26-40(a)(1)). The Marshal's Office puts it the other way round: its Code Enforcement FAQ says noisy or loud activities may take place Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Also unlawful in quiet hours: public meetings, automobile racing and other sporting events held in an open place that disturb the peace and quiet of a neighborhood, with outside sporting events allowed in those hours only by permit from the Board of Commissioners (Sec. 26-40(a)(3)); and loudspeakers or sound-amplifying devices mounted on vehicles, unless the Board has granted a permit (Sec. 26-40(a)(4)). Construction: operating any equipment or doing outside construction or repair work on buildings, structures, roads or other projects between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. is unlawful unless the chief building official grants an after-hours permit (Secs. 26-40(a)(7), 26-41); the quiet-hours rule in Sec. 26-40(a)(1) still covers Sunday mornings and evenings. Outdoor riding arenas: outdoor loudspeakers, bullhorns and other artificial noise-making devices are prohibited, except that amplified sound may be used outside quiet hours and not past 7 p.m., if the source is at least 500 linear feet from a residentially-used property and faces into the premises (Sec. 26-40(a)(5)). Consumer fireworks: not between 9 p.m. and 10 a.m., except on the dates and times Georgia law specifies (Sec. 26-40(a)(6)). Special events facilities: day limits run 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and night limits 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Sec. 26-43). No clock: sounding a vehicle horn on a street or public place except as a warning signal (Sec. 26-40(a)(2)) and engine brakes on the listed stretches of Knox Bridge Highway (Sec. 26-44) are banned at any hour. Sec. 26-40(a)(1) is written for quiet hours only; the article calls its list of acts non-exclusive but sets no separate general rule for the daytime.

Decibel limits

There is no general decibel limit: the main rule is the quiet-hours disturbance test in Sec. 26-40(a)(1), and no meter is involved. Decibel limits apply only to special events facilities, which the code defines as businesses that host receptions, meetings, banquets, conventions, parties, catered events or similar gatherings for money (Secs. 26-37, 26-43). Exterior limit (Sec. 26-43(d), Table 1): at a receiving property in residential use, amplified sound, instruments and sound production devices may not exceed 55 dBA or 60 dBC in the daytime (7 a.m. to 11 p.m.), or 40 dBA or 50 dBC at night (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.), each as a one-minute Leq, an average level over one minute. County staff measure at the receiving residential property boundary, or 25 feet from the closest facade of the occupied home on it, whichever point is closest to the home (Sec. 26-43(h)). Interior limit (Sec. 26-43(f), Table 2): inside a sealed residence, 55 dBC from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 45 dBC from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., as a one-minute Leq, not measured in areas of only casual use such as hallways, closets and bathrooms, and measured by the County only at the request of the owner of the receiving residence. Where the background level at the receiving residential property is already above the Table 1 levels, the facility's sound may not exceed that background by more than five dBA or five dBC (Sec. 26-43(g)). Procedure (Sec. 26-43(h), (i)): a Class 1 or Class 2 sound level meter under ANSI S1.4-2014/IEC 61672, A- and C-weighting, at least one minute of measurement, wind (including gusts) no greater than ten mph, no conditions that let the meter get wet, and a field calibration first; if the facility's sound cannot be resolved from the background sound level, there can be no finding of non-compliance, and if access to the residential property for measuring is not permitted, no violation can be assessed. A special events facility with an active business license when the article was adopted on October 17, 2023 does not have to comply with Sec. 26-43 unless the county marshal documents a violation of the exterior or interior limits (Sec. 26-43(a), (c)). The dBC figures use C-weighting, which the code says is used to assess the low-frequency content of a complex sound environment (Sec. 26-37).

What the ordinance actually says

§ 26-38(a): "This article applies to sound originating from or received at or within the property line of parcels within unincorporated Cherokee County, Georgia."

§ 26-38(b): "All noise sources in existence prior to and after the adoption date of this article on October 17, 2023, shall be subject to the regulations contained herein."

§ 26-37: "Quiet hours means a time frame in which noise that disturbs the peace or causes discomfort is not permissible. These hours are between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily. Also, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, and 6:30 p.m. Sunday until 7:00 a.m. Monday."

§ 26-37: "Noise means any sound which annoys or disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans."

§ 26-40(a)(1): "Quiet hours. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully make, continue, or cause to be made or continued any excessive, unnecessary, or unusually loud noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood, or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing within the limits of the county, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily, and between the hours of 11:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 p.m. Sunday. Also, all noises described in this section shall be unlawful after 6:30 p.m. Sunday until 7:00 a.m. Monday."

§ 26-40(a)(3): "Public meetings and automobile racing and other sporting events shall be unlawful during quiet hours if held in an open place, by which the peace and quiet of any neighborhood shall be disturbed. Outside sporting events, including but not limited to automobile racing, shall not be conducted during the hours specified in this section without a permit from the board of commissioners."

§ 26-40(a)(4): "The using or operating of any loudspeaker or sound-amplifying device mounted on any vehicle for the purpose of broadcasting or advertising any information about any business or activity or any other purpose shall be unlawful during quiet hours, unless a permit for such sound amplification has been obtained from the board of commissioners."

§ 26-40(a)(5): "Outdoor riding arenas. The use of outdoor loudspeakers, bullhorns, and any other artificial noise-making devices with outdoor riding arenas is expressly prohibited. However, except during quiet hours but not past 7:00 p.m. daily, amplified sound may be used in conjunction with outdoor riding arenas as long as the source is placed no closer than 500 linear feet from a residentially-used property, measured by the most direct route in a straight line, and shall be directed to face internal to the premises and away from adjacent properties."

§ 26-40(a)(6): "Consumer fireworks. The use or exploding of consumer fireworks between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., except on the dates, times, and requirements explicitly specified in chapter 10 of title 25 of O.C.G.A. § 25-10-1 et seq., now and as amended. In addition, the use or ignition of consumer fireworks are expressly prohibited within 200 yards from a facility housing equines in a confined area unless such use has been authorized and approved by a special event permit issued by the County governing authority."

§ 26-40(a)(7): "Construction activity. The operating of any equipment or any outside construction or repair work on buildings, structures, roads or other projects within the county between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shall be unlawful unless an after-hours permit is granted under section 26-41."

§ 26-43(d): "A special event facility shall not employ or operate any amplified source of sound, instrument, or sound production device of any type that exceeds the limits of Table 1 when measured according to (h) and (i), including but not limited to: any loudspeaker; bullhorn, amplifier; public address system; musical instrument; radio; television; or device that plays live or recorded music or other audio programs."

§ 26-43(g): "In cases where the measured receiving residential property background dBA or dBC sound levels exceed the levels in Table 1, in no instance shall the sound pressure level from sound sources on the premises exceed the receiving residential property background sound level by more than five dBA or five dBC."

§ 26-43(h): "Measurements of exterior levels performed by county enforcement staff shall be taken at the receiving residential property boundary, or 25 feet from the closest façade of the occupied residential structure on the property, at whichever point is closest to the occupied residential structure."

§ 26-44(b): "The use of engine brakes or compression brakes shall be prohibited for use on the following roadways: (1) Knox Bridge Highway (Bartow County line to Fields Chapel Drive). (2) Knox Bridge Highway (Fields Landing Road to Marietta Highway at Herndon Lane)."

§ 26-45(a)(1): "Declared public nuisance. The operation or maintenance of any device, vehicle, or machinery in violation of this article, or the conduct of any of the events set forth in this article which is unlawful, is declared to be a public nuisance, and may be subject to abatement summarily by restraining order of injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction."

§ 26-45(a)(3): "Citation. Violations of this article shall be punishable, upon conviction, as provided in section 1-12. The magistrate's court of the county shall have jurisdiction over such violations."

§ 1-12(a): "Whenever in this Code or in any ordinance passed by the board of commissioners of the county any act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense, or whenever in such Code or ordinance the doing of an act is required or the failure to do an act is declared to be unlawful, where no specific penalty is provided therefor, the violation of any such provision of this Code or any ordinance shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 36-1-20 by a fine not exceeding $1,000.00 or 60 days imprisonment, or both, except as otherwise provided for by general law."

§ 1-12(c): "Each day any violation of any provision of this Code or any ordinance, rule, regulation, or order of the county shall continue shall constitute a separate offense."

Quoted verbatim from the official text (Cherokee County Code Chapter 26 Article II (Noise), Secs. 26-36 to 26-45. Code of Ordinances, County of Cherokee, Georgia on Municode, "Codified through Ordinance No. 2026-O-001, enacted January 20, 2026. (Supp. No. 39)", online content updated on June 24, 2026 (version dated Jun 24, 2026): Chapter 26 (Environment), Article II (Noise), enacted by Ord. No. 2023-O-013, adopted Oct. 17, 2023, which repealed the former Article II (derived from the Ord. of 2-26-80, the Ord. of 10-14-86 and Ord. No. 2003-O-008) and enacted a new one: Secs. 26-36 to 26-39, 26-41 to 26-43 and 26-45 (Ord. No. 2023-O-013, 10-17-23); Sec. 26-40 (Ord. No. 2023-O-013, 10-17-23; Ord. No. 2025-O-006, § 1 (Exh. A.), 6-17-25); Sec. 26-44 (Ord. No. 2023-O-013, 10-17-23; Ord. No. 2024-O-010, § 1, 8-6-24). The code's front page on Municode shows no list of adopted ordinances not yet codified. Sec. 1-12 (General penalty), which Sec. 26-45(a)(3) cites for the penalty, was read in the same version (Ord. No. 91-7, § 1, 7-9-91; Ord. No. 96-02, 1-26-96; Ord. No. 96-18, § 1, 11-22-96; Ord. No. 2017-O-008, § 1, 11-7-17). Chapter 10 (Animals) was not read on Municode; the barking rule is given as the Cherokee County Marshal's Office states it. Text read 2026-11-09.). Verified against the live code on 2026-11-09. Ordinances get amended — before acting on a specific provision, check the linked official code. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.

How to file a noise complaint in Cherokee County

To report a noise violation in unincorporated Cherokee County, call 678.493.4080, the number the Cherokee County Marshal's Office gives for Code Enforcement and Animal Control requests for service, and call 911 for an emergency. The Marshal's Office lists the noise ordinance among its Code Enforcement questions, and the County Solicitor-General's office says county ordinance violations are investigated by Deputy Marshals. The Marshal's contact page gives the same number, 678.493.4080, for E 9-1-1. Its Animal Control FAQ says to call it from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. for an Animal Control Officer, and from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. as the Sheriff's Office non-emergency number, when the local law enforcement agency will assist. Those hours are stated for barking and nuisance animals; no page read gives hours for other noise calls. Other numbers on County pages: Marshal's Office 678.493.6200 and Sheriff's Office 678-493-4200. The Marshal's Office also has an online Request a Call for Service form with the types Animal Control, Code Violation and Other; the page says it is not continuously monitored. Penalty: a violation is punishable, upon conviction, as provided in Sec. 1-12 of the County Code, and the magistrate's court of the county has jurisdiction (Sec. 26-45(a)(3)). Sec. 1-12 sets the punishment at a fine not exceeding $1,000 or 60 days imprisonment, or both, and makes each day a violation continues a separate offense. The Marshal's FAQ says that unless a citation says "Must see the judge" the fine can be paid, and that Magistrate Court, 678.493.6431, can say how much it is. A violation is also declared a public nuisance that a court can stop by restraining order or injunction, and the Board of Commissioners may start proceedings to end a special use permit, business license or other county approval (Sec. 26-45(a)(1), (2)). For a barking dog, the Animal Control FAQ counts vocalizations for more than 15 minutes without interruption, or more than 30 minutes if intermittent; the owner first gets a written warning, provided the complainant gives the owner's address and describes the disturbance, and if it is not resolved within two days, or a different person at a different location complains, a court summons is issued. The article covers only unincorporated Cherokee County. Inside a city, call that city's police; the Solicitor-General's page lists Ball Ground 770-735-2123, Canton 770-720-4883, Holly Springs 770-345-5537 and Woodstock 770-592-6030. Sources: https://www.cherokeegamarshal.org/contact-us, https://www.cherokeegamarshal.org/copy-of-your-opinion-matters, https://www.cherokeegamarshal.org/ce-faq, https://www.cherokeegamarshal.org/ac-faq, https://www.cherokeecountyga.gov/solicitor-general/law-enforcement/ and https://www.cherokeecountyga.gov/solicitor-general/ORDINANCE-PROSECUTION/.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Cherokee County. For the general playbook — documenting the problem, talking to a landlord or HOA, when 311 beats 911 — see the noise complaints guide.

Worth knowing

(1) Jurisdiction: the article applies to sound originating from or received at or within the property line of parcels within unincorporated Cherokee County (Sec. 26-38(a)), so by its words it reaches sound heard on an unincorporated parcel as well as sound made on one. Cities are separate: County pages name Ball Ground, Canton, Holly Springs, Woodstock and Nelson, and the first four have their own police. The map linked from this page is Atlanta's, because the county's own places are not in the map data; Atlanta has its own noise ordinance (see the Atlanta page), which this page does not cover. (2) Sunday is mostly quiet hours: from 11 p.m. Saturday the quiet period runs to 1 p.m. Sunday, and it starts again at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. (3) The test has no number and no distance. Sec. 26-40(a)(1) asks whether the noise was made willfully, was excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud, and disturbed a neighborhood or a reasonable person of normal sensitivity. (4) No grandfathering: all noise sources in existence before and after the adoption date of October 17, 2023 are subject to the article (Sec. 26-38(b)). (5) Construction stops at 7 p.m., four hours before quiet hours begin. An after-hours permit comes from the chief building official on a written request showing hardship, and a refusal can be appealed to the Board of Commissioners (Secs. 26-40(a)(7), 26-41). The County's October 20, 2023 news summary described the 2023 revisions as restricting construction noise during quiet hours; Sec. 26-40 was amended again on 6-17-25, and the text read today says 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. The code controls. (6) Event venues: a new special events facility must have an acoustical study done by a consultant designated by the County unless the Board of Commissioners waives it, and where the study requires meters the owner must record readings during all events and show them in real time where staff, vendors and guests can see them (Sec. 26-43(c)). A venue licensed before the article was adopted is brought under the section only after the county marshal documents a violation, then has 90 days to comply, and must cease operations if three or more violations are documented in that time (Sec. 26-43(c)). (7) A neighbor of an event venue can bring their own expert: if the County, after a request, fails or declines to measure, the complainant may have a qualified expert take the measurements and give the results to the county marshal for consideration (Sec. 26-43(f), (h)). (8) Horses shape two rules: amplified sound at outdoor riding arenas must stay 500 linear feet from a residentially-used property and end by 7 p.m. (Sec. 26-40(a)(5)), and consumer fireworks are expressly prohibited within 200 yards of a facility housing equines in a confined area unless a special event permit allows them (Sec. 26-40(a)(6)). (9) Engine brakes are banned only on two stretches of Knox Bridge Highway (Bartow County line to Fields Chapel Drive, and Fields Landing Road to Marietta Highway at Herndon Lane), which must be signed; braking needed to protect persons or property is exempt (Sec. 26-44). The County said the Board voted 5-0 for this on August 6, 2024. (10) Exempt from the whole article (Sec. 26-39): activities, construction or events conducted, sponsored or contracted by a public utility or a local, state or federal government; emergency signaling devices and safety signals; signaling devices of houses of religious worship, ice cream trucks and seasonal contribution solicitors; permitted public performances, gatherings, events and parades; reasonable outdoor school and playground activities; uses holding a permit under the article; and the lawful discharge of firearms. (11) Exception permits: the Board of Commissioners may grant an exception to any provision of the article on an application filed with the community development agency, and the decision is at the Board's sole discretion (Sec. 26-42). (12) Barking is not in the noise article, which cross-refers to Chapter 10 (Animals). The Marshal's Animal Control FAQ gives the test (more than 15 minutes without interruption, or more than 30 minutes if intermittent), says the limits do not apply if the vocalizations are given as a warning of the presence of an intruder, and says officers are not required to measure them with a sound level meter. (13) The remedies may be pursued individually or collectively (Sec. 26-45(a)). A citation carries a fine not exceeding $1,000 or 60 days imprisonment, or both, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense (Secs. 26-45(a)(3), 1-12). A violation is also a declared public nuisance, and the Board can move to end a special use permit, conditional zoning approval or business license.

Document it before you report it

Some of Cherokee County's limits are measured numbers, so a reading can help, and a dated log counts either way. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and see the nearest city we map, on the Atlanta noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.