Bergenfield, NJ Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Borough Code §§ 215-3, 215-8, 215-10
- Unmuffled exhaust
- Prohibited under § 215-8M
- Vehicle stereo curfew
- 10 p.m.-8 a.m., 50-ft audibility test
- First offense penalty
- Up to $200 fine or 30 days' jail
- Repeat offense (6 months)
- $200-$500 fine or up to 90 days
Summary
Bergenfield's noise chapter bans discharging exhaust without an effective muffler, sounding a horn except as a warning, and playing a vehicle stereo audible 50 feet away between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Violations under Borough Code § 215-10 carry up to a $200 fine and 30 days in jail per offense.
MUFFLER Any apparatus consisting of baffles, chambers or acoustical-absorbing materials, whose primary purpose is to transmit liquids or gases while causing a reduction in sound emission at one end. ... § 215-8. Specific prohibited acts. ... A. Horns and signaling devices. The sounding of any horn or signaling device on any motor vehicle on any public right-of-way, except as a danger warning signal or as provided in the Vehicle Code of the State of New Jersey. ... M. Unmuffled exhaust. Discharging into the open air the exhaust of any automobile, motorcycle, steam or other engine except through a muffler or other device which effectively prevents loud or explosive noises therefrom. ... § 215-10. Violations and penalties. A. Any person, firm or corporation who shall be found guilty of violating any provision of this chapter shall, for each offense, be fined a sum of not more than $200 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days, or both.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 215, Noise, defines MUFFLER as any apparatus of baffles, chambers or acoustic-absorbing material whose primary purpose is reducing sound emission from an engine's exhaust. Section 215-8, Specific prohibited acts, lists vehicle-related noise as a form of prohibited disturbance. Subsection M bars discharging exhaust into the open air from any automobile, motorcycle, steam or other engine except through a muffler or similar device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noises. Subsection A bars sounding a horn or signaling device on a public right-of-way except as a danger warning or as the state Vehicle Code allows.
, operating a radio, phonograph or similar device so it is plainly audible across a property boundary, through a shared partition, or at 50 feet from a device operating within a parked motor vehicle, is prohibited, whether the device is stationary, portable or in the vehicle. Subsection G separately prohibits repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing a motor vehicle, off-road vehicle or motorboat near a residential district in a manner that causes a noise disturbance. Subsection L bars using any vehicle so out of repair, so loaded, or operated in a manner that creates loud or unnecessary grating, grinding or rattling noise.
The Police Department enforces the chapter under § 215-4, and for a stationary noise source may issue a 24-hour written cure notice instead of an immediate summons under § 215-5, though a moving-vehicle violation goes straight to summons and complaint.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Chapter 215 is punishable under § 215-10A by a fine of up to $200 or imprisonment of up to 30 days in the county jail, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense. A second violation within six months carries a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $500, or imprisonment of up to 90 days, or both, under § 215-10B. The chapter is also enforceable as a public nuisance subject to injunction under § 215-11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a loud aftermarket exhaust illegal in Bergenfield?
Can I play my car stereo loudly at night in Bergenfield?
What is the penalty for a noise violation in Bergenfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bergenfield
Compare Bergenfield to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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