Daly City, CA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Local vehicle-noise ordinance
- None; state law applies
- Muffler rule
- Required, no cutouts (CVC 27150)
- Car stereo limit
- Not audible at 50 feet (CVC 27007)
- Enforcement
- Police traffic citation
Summary
No Daly City-specific ordinance directly addresses vehicle noise; California Vehicle Code defaults apply, requiring adequate mufflers on all registered vehicles and prohibiting car sound systems audible 50 or more feet away on a highway.
No driver of a vehicle shall operate, or permit the operation of, any sound amplification system which can be heard outside the vehicle from 50 or more feet when the vehicle is being operated upon a highway, unless that system is being operated to request assistance or warn of a hazardous situation. [CVC 27007] ... Every motor vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine and subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device. [CVC 27150(a)]
Full Breakdown
Vehicle noise on public streets is regulated by state law rather than the Daly City Municipal Code. California Vehicle Code Section 27150 requires every registered motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine to be equipped at all times with an adequate muffler in constant operation, properly maintained to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and bans cutouts, bypasses, or similar devices. Vehicle Code Section 27007 prohibits a driver from operating a sound amplification system that can be heard outside the vehicle from 50 or more feet while on a highway, with exceptions for requesting assistance, warning of hazards, emergency and utility vehicles, and locally authorized parades or special events. Off the public roadway, loud car stereos on private property remain subject to Daly City's Chapter 9.22 disturbing-the-peace rules, including the 10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. quiet hours.
Violations & Fines
Muffler and loud-stereo violations are state Vehicle Code infractions cited by police during traffic stops; booming audio from a parked vehicle that is audible off-property at night can also be cited under Municipal Code Section 9.22.030.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a loud car stereo illegal in Daly City?
Are modified loud exhausts legal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daly City
California rules heatmap·Compare Daly City to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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