Asheville, NC Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Section 10-85 of the Asheville City Code's noise article lists unlawful noise-producing activities, and two of them target motor vehicles directly. Paragraph (3) makes it unlawful to operate any motor vehicle with a non-functional or absent muffler-exhaust and/or noise control system, covering cars, trucks, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles as defined in § 10-82's broad "motor vehicles" definition, which also reaches dirt bikes, four-wheelers, and self-propelled construction or farm equipment. Paragraph (4) separately bars using unmuffled engine compression brakes, commonly called jake brakes, except when an emergency driving situation requires it.

These sit alongside paragraph (5), which prohibits sounding a bell, horn, chime, siren, whistle, or similar non-emergency signal device for more than five minutes in any hourly period. All three provisions apply citywide unless a specific exception in § 10-86 applies, such as governmental emergency vehicles performing official duties. The noise control administrator and other authorized city employees enforce these vehicle-noise prohibitions under § 10-89, and an owner of a vehicle is responsible for a driver's or user's violations under § 10-92. The rule was most recently amended by Ordinance No. 5199 on February 24, 2026.