Beloit, WI Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 15.12(3)(a)
- Prohibited conduct
- Unreasonably loud acceleration or deceleration noise
- Power equipment curfew
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Stereo limit
- Audible over 30' from property line
- Enforcing agency
- Beloit Police Department
- Penalty basis
- Forfeiture under § 25.04
Summary
Beloit bans operating a motor vehicle so as to create an unreasonably loud noise through acceleration or deceleration, one of the specific violations listed under the city's general noise ordinance. The rule targets revving engines, aggressive burnouts and straight-piped exhausts that disturb neighbors day or night, backed by the city's broader ban on any noise that unreasonably disturbs the peace.
(2)GENERAL PROHIBITION. No person shall, at any time, make any noise tending to unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of any person in the vicinity thereof.(3)SPECIFIC PROHIBITIONS. Activities which create noise that tends to unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of a person in the vicinity thereof include, but are not limited to, the following:(a)Operating a motor vehicle so as to create an unreasonably loud noise by acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Update 01 - 05-2026).
Full Breakdown
12 opens with a council finding that excessive noise endangers health, depresses property values and creates a public nuisance, then sets a general prohibition against making any noise tending to unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of a person nearby. Subsection (3) lists specific prohibited activities, and the first one on the list is operating a motor vehicle so as to create an unreasonably loud noise by acceleration or deceleration. Beloit does not need a decibel meter to write this ticket: an officer judges the vehicle's acceleration or deceleration noise against whether it unreasonably disturbs someone in the vicinity, the same standard used elsewhere in the section for stereos, power tools and barking dogs.
m. Subsection (4) makes whoever controls a property responsible if they let guests create disturbing noise there. Subsection (5) exempts noise made to summon help or warn of danger, vehicles listed under Wis. 94(16)(b), and city-sponsored concerts, parades and fireworks.
Violations & Fines
Because Chapter 15 does not set a standalone penalty for § 15.12, enforcement runs through § 15.30(1): any person age 17 or older who violates a Chapter 15 provision is subject to a forfeiture under § 25.04 of the Municipal Code, plus applicable surcharges and court costs. Beloit police issue citations after responding to a complaint about a specific vehicle, not from routine patrol monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a decibel limit for a loud car in Beloit?
Can I be cited for a loud car stereo in Beloit?
What hours does Beloit restrict power tools and lawn equipment?
Are emergency vehicles exempt from Beloit's noise rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beloit
Compare Beloit to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Rock County handle vehicle noise.