Des Moines, IA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Stereo audibility (day)
- Not detectable beyond 50 feet
- Stereo audibility (night)
- Not detectable beyond 25 feet, 7pm-7am
- Ordinary vehicle dBA limit
- 76 dBA ≤35 mph / 82 over
- Heavy truck idling limit
- 20 minutes max within 150 feet
- Penalty
- Simple misdemeanor or municipal infraction
Summary
Des Moines caps car-stereo noise at 50 feet by day and 25 feet at night, and sets drive-by dBA limits by vehicle class and speed under Municipal Code § 42-259. Police and community development enforce citywide.
No person operating or in control of a motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, watercraft, or vessel shall operate or permit the operation of a sound system in the vehicle so as to produce a vibration or sound that is clearly detectable at a distance of 50 feet from the vehicle between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. or clearly detectable at a distance of 25 feet from the vehicle between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under Des Moines Municipal Code § 42-259, car stereos and vehicle sound systems can't be audible 50 feet away between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., or 25 feet away overnight (7 p.m.-7 a.m.). Separately, § 42-259(b) caps drive-by noise measured at 50 feet: 76 dBA (82 over 35 mph) for ordinary vehicles, 82/86 dBA for motorcycles, and 88/92 dBA for trucks rated 10,000+ pounds. Heavy trucks also can't idle more than 20 minutes within 150 feet of residential property. Community development and police enforce; violations are misdemeanors or municipal infractions under § 42-268.
Violations & Fines
Violating any noise-limit or sound-system provision in article IV is a simple misdemeanor or municipal infraction, punishable by criminal or civil penalty under § 1-15 (Municipal Code § 42-268).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get cited for a loud car stereo in Des Moines?
Do Des Moines' vehicle noise limits apply on the highway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
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