Noise ordinances › Columbia, SC

Columbia noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: November 9, 2026

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Quiet hours in Columbia

Columbia has several clocks rather than one quiet-hours rule. The decibel limit for a non-vehicular source in a residential area drops from 55 dB(A) to 50 dB(A) from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. (8-93(c)). Commercial loading and unloading of a vehicle, truck, dump truck or other conveyance, specifically including garbage containers or dumpsters, from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. must be below 50 dB(A) in all residential areas and below 70 dB(A) in all commercial areas, measured from 50 feet away (8-62(b)). Building operations may not use any machine, equipment or other apparatus attended with loud or unusual noise from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in any block in which more than half of the buildings on either side of the street are used exclusively for residence purposes (8-65). Construction projects in residential areas have their own limits: 80 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 75 dB(A) from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. (8-93(d)). Playing a radio, phonograph or musical instrument so as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in any dwelling, hotel or other type of residence is unlawful at any hour, and the section singles out 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (8-63(b)). The sound of a lawnmower or other hand or power tool of no more than five horsepower is outside the article from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. (8-94(h)); the sound made by people playing in or watching an organized sporting or athletic event is outside it from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (8-94(i)). Fireworks may not be used from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with the permitted hours extended to 1 a.m. on the nights of July 4 and December 31 (14-108(a), (b)). The general ban on unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise has no time band (8-61).

Decibel limits

Yes, in Division 2, all on the A weighting scale. Non-vehicular source located in a residential area: 55 dB(A) from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. (8-93(c)). Construction projects in residential areas: 80 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 75 dB(A) from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., for the period allowed by any applicable construction permit or, if no time limit is imposed, a reasonable period for completing the project (8-93(d)). Vehicles on a public road or highway, where the speed limit is 35 mph or less and where it is more than 35 mph (8-93(a)): motorcycles manufactured before 1/1/73, 82 and 86 dB(A); motorcycles manufactured on or after 1/1/73, 80 and 84 dB(A); vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle rating of 10,000 lbs. or more, and any combination of vehicles they tow, 86 and 88 dB(A); all other vehicles, 80 and 84 dB(A). Vehicles on private property, or on public property that is not a road or highway: 78 dB(A) (8-93(b)). Periodic, impulsive or shrill noises are declared unlawful at or above five dB(A) more than the listed levels (8-93(e)). Exhaust: a motor vehicle or moped driven on a street and propelled by a combustion engine must have a muffler and exhaust system that prevents any noise above that of the system the manufacturer originally installed, or above 84 dB(A) at any time (8-95(b)). Commercial loading and unloading from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.: below 50 dB(A) in all residential areas and below 70 dB(A) in all commercial areas, measured in a direct line of sight/sound from 50 feet away, as near as possible (8-62(b)). Where sound is measured (8-92): from a vehicle on a public road or highway, as close to 50 feet from the center of the lane of travel as is practical; from a vehicle on private property or public property that is not a road, 50 feet or more from the vehicle; from a non-vehicular source, 10 feet from the property line of the property where the sound is radiating, or, where the source is on public property owned by a governmental entity, 10 feet from the property line or 50 feet from the source, whichever is less. Amplified music coming from a vehicle is measured as vehicle sound; from a non-moving vehicle on private property, or on public property that is not a road or highway, it is treated as sound from a non-vehicular source. Meter rules: a sound level meter of standard design and quality with ANSI characteristics; wind of not more than five miles per hour, or 25 miles per hour with a wind screen; and consideration given to the ambient noise level at the time and place (8-92(d) to (f)). The article does not define a residential area and sets no general limit for commercial or industrial areas. Rules with no meter: unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise (8-61); radios, instruments and sound-amplifying devices that annoy, disturb or amount to a public nuisance (8-63); crying out or using bells, drums, horns and similar devices to attract attention to a business (8-64); night building operations (8-65); and animal noise, which 8-96 sends to Chapter 4.

What the ordinance actually says

§ 8-61(a): "It shall be unlawful for any person to create, assist in creating, permit, or allow any unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise in the city."

§ 8-61(b): "Any person who violates section 8-61(a) after being given notice that the noise is unlawful by any law enforcement officer authorized to arrest persons in the City of Columbia shall be subject to a criminal penalty in the municipal court as set forth in section 1-5(a). For purposes of this offense, notice must be written."

§ 1-5(a), the general penalty where no specific penalty is provided: "shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both."

§ 8-93(c): "Sound from a non-vehicular source located in a residential area, shall not exceed the following limits:" / "6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. of the same day: 55 dB (A)" / "11:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. of the following day: 50 dB (A)"

§ 8-92(c): "Sound from a non-vehicular source shall be measured at a distance of ten feet from the property line of the property where such sound is radiating, except that where the noise source is located on public property owned by a governmental entity, the sound shall be measured at a distance of ten feet from the property line or 50 feet from the noise source, whichever is less."

§ 8-93(d): "Construction projects in residential areas shall not exceed the following noise levels for the period within which construction is to be completed pursuant to any applicable construction permit, or if no time limitation is imposed, then for a reasonable period of time for completion of project:" / "7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. of the same day: 80 dB (A)" / "7:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. of the following day: 75 dB (A)"

§ 8-93(e): "Periodic, impulsive, or shrill noises are hereby declared unlawful when such noises are at or above a sound level of five dB (A) more than those listed herein."

§ 8-65: "It shall be unlawful for any person in conducting any building operations between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. to operate or use any machine, equipment or other apparatus, the use of which is attended with loud or unusual noise, in any block in which more than half of the buildings on either side of the street are used exclusively for residence purposes."

§ 8-63(b): "Disturbing persons in hotel or dwelling. It shall be unlawful for any person to play any radio, phonograph or musical instrument in such a manner or with such volume, particularly between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in any dwelling, hotel or other type of residence."

§ 8-62(b): "Any commercial activity which involves the loading and unloading of a vehicle, truck, dump truck, or other conveyance, (specifically including, but not limited to, garbage containers or dumpsters), between the hours of 11:00 p.m. on one day and 6:00 a.m. of the next day must be below 50 dB(A) in all residential areas and below 70 dB(A) in all commercial areas, as measured in a direct line of sight/sound from 50 feet away, as near as possible."

§ 8-94(h): "The sound made by a lawnmower or other hand or power tool of no more than five horsepower, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., except Sundays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m."

§ 8-96: "Noise from animals shall conform to the requirements and guidelines of Article III, Animal Control, of Chapter 4, Animals, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Columbia."

§ 4-70(b)(6): "Allowing or permitting an animal to bark, whine, howl, crow or cackle in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion, or make other noise in such a manner so as to result in a serious annoyance or interference with the reasonable use and enjoyment of neighboring premises."

Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (Columbia City Code, the Code of Ordinances of the City of Columbia, South Carolina (the 1998 Code), Chapter 8 (Environmental Health and Sanitation), Article III (Noise). Division 1 (Generally): Sec. 8-61 Unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise; 8-62 Noises in connection with loading or unloading vehicles; 8-63 Radios, phonographs, musical instruments and other sound-amplifying devices; 8-64 Crying out or playing bells, drum or other instrument to attract attention; 8-65 Building operations; 8-66 Audible signal alarm devices; Secs. 8-67 to 8-90 Reserved. Division 2 (Noise Pollution): Sec. 8-91 Definitions; 8-92 Measurement of sound level; 8-93 Maximum permitted sound levels; 8-94 Exceptions; 8-95 Vehicle muffler required; 8-96 Animal sounds; Secs. 8-97 to 8-120 Reserved. Every section's history line reads Ord. No. 2019-059, 9-17-19, and the editor's note says Ord. No. 2019-059, adopted Sept. 17, 2019, amended former Art. III in its entirety. Related sections outside the article: Sec. 1-5 General penalty; continuing violations (Ord. No. 2000-052, 7-26-00); Sec. 4-70 Nuisance animals (Code 1979, § 9-5035; Ord. No. 2001-070, 6-26-02) and Sec. 14-108 Discharge of fireworks (Ord. No. 2022-083, § 1, 11-1-22; Ord. No. 2023-093, 11-21-23). Text read on Municode, version Feb 24, 2026 (current), Supplement 35, codified through Ordinance No. 2025-090, enacted October 28, 2025, on 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 Columbia

The official route found is the Columbia Police Department's non-emergency line, (803) 252-2911; no City of Columbia page read today explains how to file a noise complaint or states quiet hours. The Columbia Police Department FAQ says "Call 803-252-2911 for non emergency related incidents", the Columbia-Richland 911 Communications page lists it as the Non-Emergency Phone, and the City phone directory shows Non-Emergency 252-2911. The police online report page says non-emergency calls are routed to the Columbia-Richland Communications Center (Dispatch Center) at that number; as read, it does not list noise as an online report type. Barking and other animal noise: the police Nuisance Animal page takes non-urgent reports through its online reporting system (its sample report describes a dog that "barks almost non-stop") and says to call (803) 252-2911 and have an officer respond if the animal is a danger to the public or in distress; Columbia Animal Services is at (803) 776-PETS (7387). MyCOLASC, the City's service request app, is a non-emergency reporting system whose page names potholes, fallen trees, damaged park equipment and broken streetlights, not noise. Why the call matters: a criminal penalty under 8-61 applies only to a person who violates it after a law enforcement officer has given notice that the noise is unlawful, and the notice must be written (8-61(b)); 8-63(e) sets the same rule for radios, instruments and sound-amplifying devices, although as printed it cites section 8-67. The penalty is the code's general one: a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both (1-5(a)). Sec. 1-5(a) applies wherever the code prohibits an act or declares it unlawful and provides no specific penalty, which covers the loading, attention-getting and building-operations rules (8-62, 8-64, 8-65) and Division 2, none of which states a penalty of its own. Unless otherwise provided, each day a violation continues is a separate offense (1-5(b)). A city law enforcement officer, or a city employee the city manager designates as a code enforcement officer, may issue a uniform ordinance summons to municipal court, which may not be used for a custodial arrest and does not cover rules on the use of motor vehicles on public roads (1-5(c)). A violation of the alarm rules is a misdemeanor punishable under Sec. 1-5, with each day a separate offense (8-66(4)); a nuisance animal violation is a misdemeanor subject to the penalties in Sec. 1-5, with each day a separate offense (4-73(c)); and a fireworks violation carries a civil penalty of up to $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second and $500 for a third or later one within five years (14-108(d)). Sources: https://columbiapd.net/faq/, https://publicsafety.columbiasc.gov/911-communications/, https://columbiasc.gov/phone-directory/, https://columbiapd.net/submit-a-police-report/, https://columbiapd.net/nuisance-animal/, https://animalservices.columbiasc.gov/animal-ordinance/ and https://columbiasc.gov/mycolasc/.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Columbia. 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) Written notice comes first. Under the general rule (8-61) and the rule for radios, instruments and sound-amplifying devices (8-63), the criminal penalty applies to a person who violates the section after an officer has given notice that the noise is unlawful, and "For purposes of this offense, notice must be written" (8-61(b), 8-63(e)). (2) A cross-reference that points nowhere: as printed, 8-63(e) applies to a person who violates "section 8-67(a), (b) or (c)", but Sec. 8-67 is reserved and the subsections (a), (b) and (c) it describes are those of 8-63. (3) The meter goes near the source, not at the listener's home: a non-vehicular source is measured 10 feet from the property line of the property where the sound is radiating (8-92(c)). (4) The residential limits of 55 and 50 dB(A) apply to a source "located in a residential area", a term the article does not define, and the night band runs from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. (8-93(c)). (5) Periodic, impulsive or shrill noises are unlawful "at or above a sound level of five dB (A) more than those listed herein", so as written their threshold is five dB(A) above the listed levels (8-93(e)). (6) Construction is covered twice: no loud machinery from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in blocks where more than half the buildings on either side of the street are used exclusively as residences (8-65), and limits of 80 dB(A) by day and 75 dB(A) from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for construction projects in residential areas (8-93(d)). (7) Small tools get long hours: a lawnmower or other hand or power tool of no more than five horsepower is outside the article from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., starting at 8 a.m. on Sundays (8-94(h)); the exception does not name larger equipment. (8) The exceptions in 8-94 remove whole categories from the article: the use of property by the state or any political subdivision, or their lessees, licensees or permittees, for cultural, entertainment, athletic or patriotic events, including concerts, music festivals and fireworks displays; property in use for manufacturing or industrial purposes as of January 1, 2018; public utilities regulated under state or federal law; aircraft and other activities subject to federal noise law; authorized emergency vehicles; vehicle horns used as a danger warning and burglar, fire, personal safety or other warning devices; and activities under a City special use permit, "unless noise is not addressed by the special use permit". (9) Night loading has numbers: commercial loading and unloading, including garbage containers or dumpsters, must stay below 50 dB(A) in residential areas and below 70 dB(A) in commercial areas from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., measured from 50 feet (8-62(b)). (10) Vehicles (8-93, 8-95): every vehicle needs a muffler in constant operation; a motor vehicle or moped on a street may not have a muffler cut-off or bypass or exceed 84 dB(A) at any time; and amplified music from a vehicle is measured with the vehicle (8-92(a), (b)). Vehicle is defined to exclude farm tractors and implements of husbandry used in agricultural operations (8-91). (11) Permits for amplified programs come from the city council, for responsible organizations broadcasting music, speeches or general entertainment as part of community celebrations of national, state or city events, public festivals or outstanding events of a noncommercial character, provided street traffic is not obstructed (8-63(d)). (12) Alarms: a building may not use an audible signal alarm device unless a list of the names and telephone numbers of people who can shut it off is filed with the police department and posted at an entrance, and one of them must be reachable at all hours (8-66). (13) Barking sits in the animal chapter: allowing an animal to bark, whine, howl, crow or cackle in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion is a public nuisance, with no minutes test (4-70(b)(6)). Municode lists Ordinance No. 2026-053, adopted 8/4/26 and amending Chapter 4 (Animals), as adopted but not yet codified; that ordinance was not read, so the Chapter 4 wording may have changed. (14) Fireworks (14-108): no use from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. except until 1 a.m. after July 4 and December 31; sparklers and similar products that generate no appreciable noise are not covered by the hours; it is unlawful to ignite or detonate fireworks within 600 feet of a church, hospital or public school; and after three separate violations at a single location over six months the location can be declared a public nuisance. (15) Shouting, bells, drums, horns and musical instruments used on or near a public street to attract attention or invite patronage to any business are unlawful when distinctly and loudly audible on the street (8-64). (16) No fine schedule: the noise article sets no civil penalty and no stepped fines. Its violations carry the code's general penalty, a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, with each day a violation continues a separate offense (1-5(a), (b)).

Document it before you report it

Columbia's limits are measured numbers, so a reading is direct evidence of how loud it really is. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and check how loud your block is on the Columbia noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.