Brookhaven, NY Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Idling time limit
- 3 minutes per hour
- Idling curfew
- 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Idling proximity test
- within 150 ft of residential area
- Repair/testing standard
- Table I limit at residential line
- Governing sections
- § 50-6B(5), § 50-6B(6)
- Enforcement
- Noise Control Officer
Summary
Brookhaven caps how long a parked vehicle can idle near homes and how loud engine repair work can get: § 50-6B(5) bars running a stationary vehicle or its equipment more than 3 minutes an hour within 150 feet of a residential area between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., and § 50-6B(6) holds motor repair and testing noise to the Table I limits at the residential property line.
Standing motor vehicles: operating or permitting the operation of any motor vehicle or any auxiliary equipment attached to such a vehicle, for a period of longer than three minutes in any hour while the vehicle is stationary, for reasons other than traffic congestion or emergency work, on a public right-of-way or public space within 150 feet (46 meters) of a residential area between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in the following day. ... Motor vehicle repairs and testing: repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing any motor or engine in such a manner as to exceed any applicable limit in Table I across a residential area property line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4966897; v79 updated 2026-05-28; through 05-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
§ 50-6B(6), 'Motor vehicle repairs and testing,' separately prohibits 'repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing any motor or engine in such a manner as to exceed any applicable limit in Table I across a residential area property line,' so a home garage or repair shop doing engine work is judged against the same sound-pressure schedule that governs stationary noise sources generally, rather than a flat time cutoff. The 150-foot proximity test applies specifically to the idling rule; the repair clause has no distance limit, only the residential property line.
Both are listed as prohibited acts under § 50-6, so a Noise Control Officer trained under § 50-3 can act on either without proving intent, only that the vehicle exceeded the time or sound-level threshold near residential property.
Violations & Fines
A first Chapter 50 conviction carries a fine of $25 to $100, a second $50 to $150, and a third or subsequent conviction $100 to $250 under § 50-9A; each two-hour span of continued violation is a separate offense under § 50-9B.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I leave my truck idling on the street at night in Brookhaven?
Is there a noise limit for revving or testing a car engine at home?
Does the idling limit apply on my own driveway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brookhaven
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle vehicle noise.