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Franklin County, WA Noise from Specific Sources: Car Alarm Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Franklin County Code § 8.24.010(B)(2)
Covered sound
Horn or siren attached to a motor vehicle
Exception
Warning of danger or legally required
Criminal penalty
Up to 90 days jail and/or $1,000 fine
Civil alternative
$50 per day
Enforcing agency
Franklin County Sheriff's Office

Summary

Franklin County Code § 8.24.010(B)(2) makes sound from a horn or siren attached to a motor vehicle a public noise disturbance in unincorporated Franklin County, unless it is warning of danger or required by law. That covers a car alarm that repeatedly triggers a horn, and the Sheriff's Office can cite the owner.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Franklin County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

2.Sounds created by a horn or siren attached to a motor vehicle, except as a warning of danger or as specifically permitted or required by law;

Full Breakdown

24 does not use the word "alarm," but its horn-and-siren clause squarely reaches what a car alarm does: it sounds the vehicle's horn or siren. 010(B)(2) lists sounds created by a horn or siren attached to a motor vehicle as a public noise disturbance, carving out only sounds that warn of danger or are specifically permitted or required by law, such as a horn used to avoid a collision. A car alarm that repeatedly sets off the horn on a false or nuisance trigger falls outside that danger-warning exception once it stops functioning as a genuine warning.

010(A) still applies too: any sound from property in a person's possession that creates a "noise disturbance" is independently unlawful, so a parked vehicle with a malfunctioning alarm can be cited under either clause. 020, covering aircraft, emergency equipment, parades and similar categories, mentions vehicle alarms or horns, so there is no separate safe harbor for a car alarm beyond the danger-warning exception written into (B)(2) itself. Enforcement is countywide within the unincorporated area and runs through the Sheriff's Office, which can issue a citation directly or refer the matter for a civil infraction in Franklin County District Court.

Violations & Fines

Like other Chapter 8.24 violations, a horn or siren disturbance is a misdemeanor under § 8.24.030(A), punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. The county may instead cite it as a civil infraction under § 8.24.030(B) carrying a $50 daily penalty, with each day of a continuing alarm treated as a separate violation in Franklin County District Court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a car alarm going off repeatedly illegal in Franklin County?
Yes, once it stops being a genuine danger warning. Franklin County Code § 8.24.010(B)(2) treats horn or siren sounds from a motor vehicle as a public noise disturbance unless they warn of danger or are legally required.
Who enforces the car alarm rule in unincorporated Franklin County?
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office enforces Chapter 8.24, and violations can be charged as a misdemeanor or referred to Franklin County District Court as a civil infraction.
What's the fine for a nuisance car alarm?
A misdemeanor charge under § 8.24.030(A) carries up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail; the civil infraction alternative under § 8.24.030(B) is $50 per day the alarm continues.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Franklin County

All Franklin County rules

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