St. Louis County, MO Noise from Specific Sources: Delivery Truck Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SLCRO § 1217.010
- Muffler cutouts
- Banned on any vehicle
- Cargo noise
- Improperly loaded cargo covered
- No decibel test
- Equipment standard, not distance test
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine / 1 yr jail, § 1215.010
Summary
St. Louis County's traffic code doesn't wait for a decibel meter to stop a loud delivery truck: Section 1217.010 bans muffler cutouts on any vehicle, requires every motor to run on a muffler sized to quiet 'the maximum possible exhaust noise,' and separately bars driving so that 'excessive and unnecessary noises' come from a truck's machinery, motor or improperly loaded cargo.
Muffler cutouts shall not be used upon any vehicle. The motors of all vehicles shall be fitted with properly attached mufflers of such capacity or construction as to quiet the maximum possible exhaust noise. Any cutout or opening in the exhaust pipe between the motor and the muffler on any motor vehicle shall be completely closed and disconnected from its operating lever and shall be arranged so that it cannot automatically open or be opened or operated while the vehicle is in motion. No person shall drive a vehicle in a manner or condition such that excessive and unnecessary noises are made by its machinery, motor, signaling device, tires, or other parts, or by any improperly loaded cargo.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
010 is the county's core vehicle-noise rule, and it reaches truck traffic in two distinct ways. First, it flatly bans 'muffler cutouts' on any vehicle and requires every motor to be 'fitted with properly attached mufflers of such capacity or construction as to quiet the maximum possible exhaust noise,' with any cutout in the exhaust pipe required to be 'completely closed and disconnected from its operating lever' so it cannot be opened while the vehicle is moving. That covers a delivery truck running an unmuffled or cut-out exhaust through a residential subdivision.
Second, and separately, subsection 2 makes it unlawful to 'drive a vehicle in a manner or condition such that excessive and unnecessary noises are made by its machinery, motor, signaling device, tires, or other parts, or by any improperly loaded cargo,' language that squarely covers a delivery truck's rattling lift gate, an unsecured load banging in the bed, or engine noise beyond what the vehicle's equipment should produce. 010 doesn't require a distance test at all: it is a vehicle-equipment and vehicle-operation standard enforced by St. Louis County Police on the road, independent of the county's separate loud-noise disturbance rule. 010.
Violations & Fines
A citation under Section 1217.010 is a Traffic Code misdemeanor prosecuted under the chapter's general penalty, Section 1215.010: up to a $1,000 fine, up to a year in the County Jail, or both. Officers can cite a delivery truck operator on the spot for a cutout exhaust, a defective muffler, or excessive cargo or machinery noise without needing a sound-level reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I report a noisy delivery truck in St. Louis County?
Does the county need a decibel reading to cite a loud truck?
What's the fine for a loud delivery truck exhaust?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Missouri noise from specific sources overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.