Edmonds, WA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Exhaust test distance
- 20 inches from exhaust outlet
- Test procedure
- Chapter 204-56 WAC
- Muffler requirement
- working order, constant operation, RCW 46.37.390
- Tire noise
- banned except emergency braking
- Penalty escalation
- $100 / $250 / misdemeanor per year
Summary
Edmonds bans operating a motor vehicle whose exhaust exceeds the sound levels for its vehicle category, tested at 20 inches from the exhaust outlet under state WAC procedures. Every vehicle on a public highway or easement road must also carry a working muffler that meets Washington's muffler standard, kept in constant operation.
5.30.060 Motor vehicle noises – Stationary test. ... It is unlawful for any person to operate any motor vehicle upon any public highway or easement road if the vehicle exhaust system exceeds the maximum permissible sound levels for the category of vehicle as measured at a distance of 20 inches (one-half meter) from the exhaust outlet under procedures set forth in Chapter 204-56 WAC, as now exists or as hereafter adopted or amended. ... 5.30.080 Mufflers. It is unlawful for any person to operate, or for any owner to permit any person to operate, any motor vehicle upon the public highways or easement roads which is not equipped with a muffler in good working order, in constant operation, and which meets the requirements established by RCW 46.37.390 as now exists or as may hereafter be amended.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
30. 060 bars operating any motor vehicle on a public highway or easement road if its exhaust system exceeds the maximum permissible sound level for its vehicle category, measured at a distance of 20 inches, one-half meter, from the exhaust outlet, using the procedures set out in Chapter 204-56 WAC as that state regulation now exists or is later amended. 070 applies the same category-based limits measured at 50 feet from the center of the travel lane while the vehicle is moving. 390 as currently written or later amended; an owner who knowingly permits someone else to operate a vehicle without a compliant muffler is equally liable.
090 rounds out the vehicle-noise scheme by banning tire noise, squealing, screeching or similar sounds caused by rapid acceleration or excessive cornering speed, with an exception for emergency braking to avoid imminent danger. 040 that governs stationary and other sound sources.
Violations & Fines
Operating a vehicle with excessive exhaust noise under ECC 5.30.060 or 5.30.070, without a working muffler under ECC 5.30.080, or with unlawful tire noise under ECC 5.30.090, is enforced under the chapter's general penalty scheme in ECC 5.30.150: a $100.00 civil infraction for a first violation, $250.00 for a second violation within the same calendar year, and a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail for a third violation within that year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove or modify my car's muffler in Edmonds?
How is vehicle exhaust noise measured in Edmonds?
Is squealing my tires around a corner illegal in Edmonds?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
Compare Edmonds to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle vehicle noise.