Cameron County has no county vehicle-noise ordinance in unincorporated areas — Texas counties can't regulate noise. State law bans defective mufflers on public roads. Cities set decibel limits: Brownsville caps moving-vehicle sound at 80 dB(A) in the right-of-way.
Unincorporated Cameron County sets no decibel limit for vehicles; Texas counties have no general noise authority. Two enforceable rules apply anyway: statewide, Transportation Code § 547.604 requires every motor vehicle to have a working muffler and prohibits loud, unusual exhaust noise; and inside a city, the local noise code governs. Brownsville (Sec. 46-78(b)) limits 'sound from a moving vehicular source located within the public right-of-way' to 80 dB(A) with heavier trucks on truck routes allowed up to 88 dB(A) between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., measured at least 25 feet away. Loud exhaust can be ticketed anywhere in Texas under the muffler statute.
Muffler violations are traffic fines statewide. City decibel violations (e.g., Brownsville 80 dB(A)) draw municipal fines. No separate county fine.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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