Brooklyn Park, MN Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Engine braking
- Banned citywide, § 71.03
- Tire squeal
- Public nuisance under § 71.02
- Emergency vehicles
- Exempt from engine-brake ban
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to 90 days or $1,000 fine
- Admin citation option
- Civil penalty up to $2,000
Summary
In the City of Brooklyn Park, engine or transmission braking, known as jake braking or dynamic braking, is banned outright on any public street, parking lot or alley under City Code § 71.03. Deliberate tire squeal from unreasonable acceleration is a declared public nuisance under § 71.02. Both carry a misdemeanor penalty of up to 90 days and a $1,000 fine.
(A) UNREASONABLE ACCELERATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE is hereby defined as acceleration which unnecessarily breaks traction between a tire or tires and the driving surface, thereby causing a prolonged squealing or screeching sound. Prolonged squealing or screeching sound shall constitute prima facie evidence of unreasonable acceleration. (B) Any act of unreasonable acceleration as hereinabove defined by any motor vehicle upon any street, road, parking lot or driving way, private or public, within the corporate limits of Brooklyn Park is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and is prohibited. ... (B) Prohibition. No person may slow a vehicle by a device, method or practice known as engine braking or transmission braking, also referred to as "jake braking" or "dynamic braking," whereby rapid downshifting of a vehicle's engine or a compression release device is used in lieu of applying a vehicle's wheel brakes, causing loud noises to emit from the vehicle's engine and exhaust system. Such braking by any motor vehicle on any public highway, street, parking lot or alley within the City of Brooklyn Park is declared to be a public nuisance and is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
03 in 2000 (Ord. 2000-931) after finding that engine or transmission braking, commonly called jake braking or dynamic braking, creates unusual and excessive noise that unreasonably disturbs and annoys residents. The ordinance prohibits any person from slowing a vehicle by rapid downshifting or a compression-release device in lieu of the wheel brakes when it causes loud noises from the engine and exhaust, on any public highway, street, parking lot or alley in the city. The prohibition is declared a public nuisance and does not apply to emergency vehicles.
02, targets unreasonable acceleration: tire squeal or screeching caused by breaking traction between tire and pavement is itself prima facie evidence of the violation, and any such act on a street, parking lot or driveway, public or private, is likewise a declared public nuisance. 03, with 14 days to pay or request a hearing. Both sections trace to the original 1972 traffic code and Ord. 2000-931, and neither exempts modified exhaust systems, only emergency apparatus responding to calls.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 71.02 or § 71.03 is a misdemeanor under the city's general penalty, § 10.99: up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, with each day of continuing use treated as a separate offense. Brooklyn Park may instead issue an administrative citation with a civil penalty up to $2,000 under § 37.03; the recipient has 14 days to pay or request an administrative hearing before a 10% late fee applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jake braking illegal in Brooklyn Park?
Can I get a ticket for squealing tires?
What does a vehicle noise violation cost?
Does the ban cover loud mufflers or stereos?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brooklyn Park
Compare Brooklyn Park to another location·View the Minnesota noise ordinances overview
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Hennepin County handle vehicle noise.