Chattanooga, TN Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

No person shall drive a motor vehicle on any street in the city unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke.(b)It shall be unlawful to use a "muffler cutout" on any motor vehicle upon any road, street or highway.(c)Trucks, tractors, and semitrailers, as defined in T.C.A. § 55-8-101, shall not use an engine compression braking device unless the engine compression braking device is equipped with an operational approved muffler to prevent excessive or unusual noise. In this section, "approved muffler" shall mean any muffler that complies with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations on noise emissions found at 49 CFR 325, et. seq.(d)The Transportation Department is authorized and directed to conduct an engineering and traffic investigation to determine areas of the City which are subject to excessive or unusual noise and to place signage on such city streets which are necessary to limit excessive roadway noise to adjoining property owners. Excessive or unusual noise shall be considered in conformance with the provisions described in sections 25-66 through 25-74 of the Chattanooga City Code as well as this section.(e)"Excessive or unusual noise" shall include, but not be limited to, any sound made by a motor vehicle at any time under any condition of grade, speed, acceleration, or de-acceleration which exceeds ninety (90) decibels with reference to .0002 microbar.