Cook County, IL Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Fine
- $25 per violation
- Citation
- Cook County Code § 82-123
- Scope
- Roads under County jurisdiction only
- Banned
- Cutouts, by-passes, straight pipes
Summary
Cook County requires every motor vehicle to run a working muffler and bans cutouts, by-passes, and straight pipes on public ways under County jurisdiction, with a $25 fine per violation.
(a)(1)Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke.(2)No person shall use a muffler cutout, by-pass, straight pipe or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a public way.
Full Breakdown
Cook County's Vehicle Code requires every motor vehicle operated or parked on a public way under County jurisdiction to carry a muffler in good working order, kept in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke. Section 82-123 separately bans muffler cutouts, by-passes, straight pipes, or any similar device, defined as a muffler without baffles or another noise-inhibiting part, on a vehicle used on a public way. The rule sits in Article I of Chapter 82 (the County Vehicle Code), which reaches County-owned property, unincorporated Cook County roads, and any municipality that has signed an intergovernmental enforcement agreement with the County; it does not reach Chicago's own streets.
Violations & Fines
A motor vehicle without a working muffler, or fitted with a cutout, by-pass, or straight pipe, draws a $25 fine per violation under Section 82-123(b), assessed separately for each offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply on all Cook County roads?
What counts as an illegal exhaust?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cook County
Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois noise ordinances overview
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