Citrus County, FL Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Horn time limit
- 60 seconds, non-emergency
- Vehicle stereo/exhaust noise on roads
- Governed by Florida Statutes, § 21-27(a)
- County Table I limits
- Do not apply to public-ROW vehicles
- Enforcing agents (horn rule)
- Code Compliance Division; Sheriff's Office
- Max civil penalty (horn rule)
- $500 per citation
Summary
Citrus County caps non-emergency vehicle horns and signal devices at 60 seconds, but hands off regulating a vehicle's stereo, muffler or exhaust noise on public roads to Florida Statutes rather than its own decibel table.
(1)Horns and signal devices. The sounding of any horn or audible signaling device of a motor vehicle, engine, machine, or stationary boiler continuously or intermittently for a period in excess of 60 seconds, except as a danger or emergency warning. ... Sec. 21-27. - Regulations on motor vehicles.(a)Motor vehicles operating on public right-of-way. Motor vehicles on a public right-of-way are regulated as set forth in Florida Statutes. Unless otherwise set forth within this article, sound level limits for or excessive sound to a receiving land use district shall not apply.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).
Full Breakdown
Citrus County Code § 21-26(1) bars sounding a horn or other audible signaling device of a motor vehicle, engine, machine, or stationary boiler continuously or intermittently for more than 60 seconds, except as a danger or emergency warning. That is the county's only Chapter 21 prohibition aimed specifically at vehicle-mounted noise sources; the adjacent § 21-26(2), covering radios, stereos, and musical instruments, is expressly limited by its own heading to devices "not within or upon motor vehicles," so it does not reach car stereo or exhaust noise.
Instead, § 21-27(a) directly addresses motor vehicles on a public right-of-way: it states such vehicles "are regulated as set forth in Florida Statutes," and that unless otherwise set forth in the noise article, the Table I sound level limits for a receiving land use district do not apply to them. That means a loud exhaust, engine brake, or car audio system operating on a public road is governed by state vehicle-noise statutes, not the county's own decibel table, while an idling or parked vehicle's horn is still covered by the 60-second cap.
Section 21-28(21) separately exempts vessel engine or exhaust noise as provided in Fla. 65. Enforcement of the horn provision runs through the Citrus County Code Compliance Division and Citrus County Sheriff's Office under the standard § 21-32 warning-then-citation process.
Violations & Fines
Sounding a horn beyond 60 seconds without a danger or emergency reason is a civil infraction under § 21-33, carrying a maximum civil penalty of $500, doubling on a second violation of the same class and requiring a mandatory court appearance on a third under § 21-34. On-road vehicle sound like exhaust or stereo noise is enforced under separate Florida Statutes, not this county penalty schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be cited by Citrus County for a loud car exhaust or booming car stereo on the highway?
Is there any limit on how long I can honk my horn in unincorporated Citrus County?
Does the county's radio and stereo noise rule in § 21-26(2) apply to car stereos?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Citrus County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Citrus County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.