Noise ordinances › Cobb County, GA

Cobb County noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: November 4, 2026

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Quiet hours in Cobb County

The County's noise limit drops at night, and the Board of Commissioners changed the hours on October 27, 2026 (Sec. 50-257(b)). As adopted that day, the 65 dBA night limit runs from 10 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and the 70 dBA day limit runs from 7 a.m. until 9:59 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. until 10:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The old text set 70 dBA from 7 a.m. until 10:59 p.m. and 65 dBA from 11 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. on every day of the week, and the online code may still show those old hours: Municode's current version is dated June 29, 2026, before the vote. The amendment pages read name no effective date, and under Sec. 1-5 an ordinance that does not provide for a different time takes effect immediately upon adoption, so on what was read the new hours have applied since October 27, 2026. Other clocks are in Sec. 50-258. Construction: the erection, demolition, alteration or repair of a structure, and running a pile driver, saws, drills or other equipment attended by loud noise, is allowed only between 7 a.m. and 8:59 p.m., Monday through Saturday, so not on Sundays (Sec. 50-258(8)). Landscaping equipment: lawnmowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, pressure washers and blowers, gas or electric, that would annoy or disturb the neighbors may not be used on residentially-zoned parcels between 9 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. on any day (Sec. 50-258(12)). Consumer fireworks, in text also adopted October 27, 2026: allowed only from 10 a.m. through 8:59 p.m. on any day of the week, except 10 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. on January 1, the last Saturday and Sunday in May, July 3, July 4, the first Monday in September and December 31; midnight through 1 a.m. on January 1; and dates and times set by a County special-use permit (Sec. 50-258(15)). The rules for radios, musical instruments and yelling have no clock (Sec. 50-258(2), (4)).

Decibel limits

Yes, in unincorporated Cobb County. Sec. 50-257(b) bans any loud noise that disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others and that exceeds 70 dBA by day or 65 dBA at night, measured from the complainant's location, on the hours adopted October 27, 2026: 70 dBA from 7 a.m. until 9:59 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 65 dBA from 10 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The limit is the same across zoning districts: the section sets no separate figures by land use. dBA means decibels on the A weighting network (Sec. 50-257(c)). How it is measured (Sec. 50-260): as far as practicable by certified sound level meters while the source runs at normal, routine conditions and, as necessary, at other conditions; at or within the property line of the affected property; and the sound must be heard for at least three consecutive seconds. The meter and calibrator are certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with a field check of calibration before and after each set of measurements. A sound level meter must conform to type 1 or type 2 of the ANSI S1.4 standard (Sec. 50-256). Sec. 50-258 then lists acts declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of the article, and the list is not exclusive. It carries no decibel figure. Each item uses its own words: radios, musical instruments and similar devices played so as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants (2), yelling or shouting on public streets that annoys or disturbs people nearby (4), animals or birds whose frequent or long continued noise disturbs people in the vicinity (5), and motorcycles or go-carts that create excessive noise (14), among others. Not covered (Sec. 50-259): a person whose operations or business is licensed under a county ordinance that prohibits disturbances or nuisances, while the license is valid; projects funded in whole or in part by Cobb County; activities on county property with the County's permission or by a licensee; school-sponsored activities on school grounds; and any activity otherwise permitted by state or federal law.

What the ordinance actually says

§ 50-257(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:"

§ 50-257(b)(1), new text adopted October 27, 2026: "(1) Exceeds 70 dBA, measured from the complainant’s location: a. From 7:00 a.m. until 9:59 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday; or b. From 7:00 a.m. until 10:59 p.m. on Friday and Saturday."

§ 50-257(b)(2), new text adopted October 27, 2026: "(2) Exceeds 65 dBA, measured from the complainant’s location: a. From 10:00 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday; or b. From 11:00 p.m. until 6:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday."

§ 50-258(15), new text adopted October 27, 2026: "Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, it shall be unlawful for any person to use, ignite, or cause to be ignited any consumer fireworks, as defined in O.C.G.A. § 25-10-1, outside the hours beginning at 10:00 a.m. and continuing through 8:59 p.m. on any day of the week."

§ 50-258: "The following acts are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this article; but this enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive:"

§ 50-258(2): "Radios, phonographs, musical instruments. The using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated of any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants."

§ 50-258(8): "Construction or repair of structures. The erection (including excavation), demolition, alteration or repair of any structure, as well as the operation of any pile driver, steam shovel, pneumatic hammer, derrick, steam or electric hoist, electric saws, drills or any other equipment attended by loud noise, other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:59 p.m., Monday through Saturday."

§ 50-258(12): "Landscaping equipment. The operation of any noise-creating equipment including but not limited to lawnmowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, pressure washers, and blowers either gas powered or electric which causes noise that would annoy or disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants shall not be used in residentially-zoned parcels between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. on any day of the week."

§ 50-259(d): "This article shall not apply to any activity otherwise permitted by state or federal law."

§ 50-260(a): "All sound measurements shall be made at or within the property line of the affected property and heard for a minimum of three consecutive seconds."

§ 1-4(a): "Except as specifically provided otherwise, this Code only applies in the unincorporated areas of the county."

§ 1-5: "Except as otherwise provided by law, ordinances and resolutions which do not provide for their taking effect at a different time take effect immediately upon adoption."

§ 1-10(c): "Except as otherwise provided, a person convicted of a violation of this Code shall be punished by a fine and sentence of imprisonment and/or probation not to exceed the maximum punishment as set out by Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-60."

Quoted verbatim from the official text (Cobb County Code Chapter 50 Article VII (Noise), as amended October 27, 2026. Official Code of Cobb County on Municode, "Codified through Amendment of November 20, 2025. (Supp. No. 53)", version dated Jun 29, 2026: Part I, Chapter 50 (Environment), Article VII (Noise), Secs. 50-256 to 50-260: Sec. 50-256 (Amd. of 10-24-23); Sec. 50-257 (Ord. of 10-12-82, § 2(a); Code 1977, § 3-18.5-2; Ord. of 7-27-04; Amd. of 2-23-10; Amd. of 10-24-23); Sec. 50-258 (Ord. of 10-12-82, § 2(b); Code 1977, § 3-18.5-3; Ord. of 9-10-02; Ord. of 7-27-04; Amd. of 2-23-10; Amd. of 2-27-18; Amd. of 2-9-21; Amd. of 10-24-23; Amd. of 11-20-25); Sec. 50-259 (Ord. of 10-12-82, § 3; Code 1977, § 3-18.5-4; Amd. of 2-24-15; Amd. of 7-28-15; Amd. of 10-24-23); Sec. 50-260 (Amd. of 10-24-23). Secs. 50-257(b) and 50-258(15) were amended by the County's 2026 Code Amendments, Part I, Chapter 50, Package I, marked adopted October 27, 2026, read in the County's PDF "2026 Oct Chapter 50 Final.pdf"; Municode's June 29, 2026 version does not carry that change. The amendment pages read name no effective date; Sec. 1-5 says an ordinance that does not provide for a different time takes effect immediately upon adoption. Penalty: Chapter 1, Sec. 1-10 (Code 1977, § 3-1-10; Amd. of 2-25-14). Sec. 10-9 (nuisance animals) as shown on the County's Animal Services page. Text read 2026-11-04.). Verified against the live code on 2026-11-04. 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 Cobb County

For loud music, a party or other noise happening now in unincorporated Cobb County, call the Police Department's non-emergency number, (770) 499-3911, and call 911 for an emergency. No County page we checked names a noise complaint office, and Article VII does not say which department enforces it. The non-emergency number is the route those pages support: Cobb County 911 lists it as its Non-Emergency Contact Number, and Animal Services calls it the Police Department's non-emergency number. The County directory lists the Police Department at (770) 499-3900. Code Enforcement is at (770) 528-2180 and codeenforcement@cobbcounty.gov, and takes complaints online without registration, by phone or by email, but its page does not mention noise and says the division investigates and enforces zoning complaints. A violation is "punishable as provided in section 1-10" (Sec. 50-257(a)). Sec. 1-10(c) says a person convicted shall be punished by a fine and a sentence of imprisonment and/or probation, up to the maximum Georgia law sets under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-60. The County's code prints no dollar figure, and that statute was not read for this page, so none is given here. A fine does not prevent revocation or suspension of a license, permit or franchise (Sec. 1-10(d)), and a violation that continues over time is a nuisance a court can order stopped (Sec. 1-10(e)). For a barking dog, call 770-499-3911: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. you can ask for an Animal Services Officer, and after 5 p.m. on weekdays and throughout weekends calls go to the Police Department's non-emergency line. Animal Services' own number is (770) 499-4136. Article VII does not apply inside a city's limits, so in a city, check with that city. County General Information is (770) 528-1000. Sources: https://www.cobbcounty.gov/911/contact-cobb-county-911, https://www.cobbcounty.gov/communications/info-center/county-contact-directory, https://www.cobbcounty.gov/community-development/enforcement/code-enforcement, https://aca-prod.accela.com/COBBCO/Default.aspx?module=Enforce&TabName=Enforce, https://www.cobbcounty.gov/animal-services/nuisance-animals, https://assets.cobbcounty.gov/files/2026-10/2026%20Oct%20Chapter%2050%20Final.pdf and https://library.municode.com/ga/cobb_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIOFCOCOCOGE_CH1GEPR.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Cobb 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) The new hours: on October 27, 2026 the Board of Commissioners moved the start of the night limit from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday stay at 11 p.m. The County's amendment PDF and its summary of final revisions both say adopted October 27, 2026. Neither names an effective date, and Secs. 1-5 and 1-7(a) say an ordinance takes effect immediately upon adoption unless it provides otherwise. Until Municode is updated, its Sec. 50-257(b) may still read "From 7:00 a.m. until 10:59 p.m., exceeds 70 dBA measured from the complainant location" and "From 11:00 p.m. until 6:59 a.m., exceeds 65 dBA measured from the complainant location." Those lines are struck through in the adopted amendment. (2) Jurisdiction: Article VII covers only the unincorporated areas of the county (Secs. 1-4(a), 50-257(a), (b)). The City of Atlanta, whose noise map this page links, has its own noise ordinance and is a separate jurisdiction (see the Atlanta page). (3) A reading alone is not the whole test: Sec. 50-257(b) reaches loud noise that disturbs, injures or endangers others and that exceeds the dBA limit. (4) Certified meters: Sec. 50-260 calls for certified sound level meters as far as practicable, so a phone reading is a personal record, not the County's measurement. (5) The location is the complainant's: Sec. 50-257(b) measures from the complainant's location, and Sec. 50-260(a) at or within the property line of the affected property, with the sound heard for at least three consecutive seconds. (6) Sec. 50-259(d) is broad: the article does not apply to any activity otherwise permitted by state or federal law. Licensed businesses can also fall outside the article while their license is valid (Sec. 50-259(a)). (7) Fireworks: Municode's Sec. 50-258(15) shows only the older ban within 200 yards of a facility housing equines in a confined area. The October 27, 2026 text keeps that ban and adds the hours, and says use in permitted hours stays subject to the rest of the code and state law. (8) Animals have two rules. Sec. 50-258(5) covers frequent or long continued noise that disturbs people in the vicinity, and does not apply to horses, livestock, poultry or other farm animals kept in line with county zoning. The Animal Services page cites Sec. 10-9, which counts an animal as a nuisance if it "Causes a disturbance by barking, howling or other noisemaking for a period of more than 15 minutes". (9) Generators: exhausts must go through a muffler, which includes internal-combustion generators except those used in medical emergencies, during power outages, or for testing and upkeep (Sec. 50-258(6)); Sec. 50-258(16) also lists generators, with the same kinds of exclusions plus portable ones. (10) Streets: sound cast on public streets to advertise is listed (Sec. 50-258(3)), as are hawkers and vendors who disturb a neighborhood (10), drums or other devices used to attract attention to a show or sale (11) and sound trucks (13). Excessive noise on a street next to a school, church or court while in use, or next to a hospital, is covered if it interferes with the institution or disturbs patients, provided conspicuous signs are displayed on those streets indicating a school, hospital or court street (9).

Document it before you report it

Some of Cobb 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.