Bristol Township, PA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Vehicle noise in Bristol Township is handled in Chapter 129, Noise, adopted by Township Council on 6-15-2006 as Ord. No. 2006-09. Section 129-3 E reaches repairing, rebuilding, modifying, testing or operating a motor vehicle, motorcycle, recreational vehicle or powered model vehicle in a way that annoys people across a real property boundary from the noise source. Under E(1), all motorcycles built or rebuilt after 1982 and all car engines must be operated at or below 86 decibels, a standard the code ties to 42 U.S.C. § 4905 and 40 CFR 205, Subparts D and E. Under E(2), every motorcycle driven through Bristol Township must have a muffler that meets the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Inspection Law and the decibel levels in § 129-1 B, which are 55 dBA from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 45 dBA from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. in residential zones, measured from 30 feet away.

Subsection J applies at any hour on public rights-of-way: no one can operate a public or private motor vehicle or motorcycle so that the sound level it emits constitutes a noise disturbance. Section 129-1 A defines a noise disturbance as any sound that endangers the safety or health of any person, disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities, or endangers personal or real property, measured on the A-weighted decibel scale. Subsection B of § 129-3 separately bars audio equipment and sound amplifiers that create a noise disturbance or annoy persons in the vicinity, which covers car stereos.

Engine brakes are handled in Chapter 191. Section 191-18.2 prohibits engine brake retarders on any Township or Commonwealth roadway within Bristol Township once the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation approves the prohibition in writing, and the Township erects signs. Emergency vehicles working under emergency conditions are exempt. Section 129-4 D exempts warning devices on authorized emergency vehicles or required for safety.