Bay County, MI Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Horn use
- Danger warning only (§62.003(a))
- Banned device type
- Exhaust-operated horns or whistles
- Banned use
- Sounding horn because traffic is held up
- Muffler requirement
- All engine exhaust must be muffled (§62.003(g))
- Maximum penalty
- $100 fine and/or 90 days jail
Summary
Bay County limits car and motorcycle horns to danger warnings only, bans engine-exhaust-operated horns and whistles, and requires every steam, motor, or motorboat engine's exhaust to run through a functioning muffler to prevent loud or explosive noise.
(a)Horns, signaling devices, etc. The sounding of any horn or signaling device on any automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle on any street or public place of the County, except as a danger warning; the creation by means of any such signaling device of any unreasonably loud or harsh sound; and the sounding of any such device for an unreasonable unnecessary period of time. ... (g)Exhausts. The discharge into the open air of the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine, motor boat or motor vehicle, except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises therefrom.
Full Breakdown
003(a)). The ordinance also bars any signaling device that isn't hand- or electricity-operated, any horn or whistle operated by engine exhaust, and sounding a horn simply because traffic is held up. 003(g)). 003(o)). 001).
Violations & Fines
Sounding a horn other than as a danger warning, running an exhaust-operated horn, or driving with an unmuffled or defective exhaust is a misdemeanor: a fine of up to $100, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense (Bay County Code of Ordinances § 62.005).
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I legally sound my car horn in Bay County?
Are loud aftermarket exhausts or mufflers legal?
What's the penalty for a horn or exhaust noise violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bay County
Compare Bay County to another location·View the Michigan noise ordinances overview
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