Escambia County, FL Noise from Specific Sources: Car Alarm Limits (2026)

County Code § 42-65(d) makes it unlawful to intentionally sound or allow the sounding of any emergency signaling device outdoors, including a motor vehicle burglar alarm, except in a genuine emergency or under the two carve-outs the section allows. Subsection (d)(2) is the operative rule for car alarms: once triggered, the alarm must terminate within 15 minutes unless an emergency actually exists, and a false or accidental activation happening more than twice in the same calendar month puts the owner or responsible person in violation regardless of intent.

This sits inside the county's broader noise abatement article, whose general prohibition (§ 42-64) bars any unreasonably loud sound countywide, including on the waters and beaches under county jurisdiction. Sirens, whistles and alarms lawfully used by emergency vehicles or during an actual emergency are separately exempted under § 42-66(c) and (d), so this rule targets nuisance false alarms, not legitimate security or first-responder equipment. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is the enforcing agency countywide under § 42-68, and it can pursue voluntary compliance through warning or education before citing.