Fort Smith, AR Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Vehicle-noise enforcement on Fort Smith streets is built on the Arkansas Title 27 motor-vehicle equipment statutes, which the Fort Smith Police Department enforces on traffic stops. The core statute is A.C.A. § 27-37-601: every motor vehicle on a highway must be 'equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise,' and no person may use a cutout, bypass, or 'similar device' on the public roads. The companion subsection bans the sale or installation of any device that produces excessive or unusual noise or smoke, which covers straight-pipe exhausts, removed catalytic converters, and most aftermarket 'cutout' systems. Horns and warning devices fall under A.C.A. § 27-37-202; vehicle horns must be audible from at least 200 feet but cannot emit an 'unreasonably loud or harsh sound,' and sirens, whistles, and bells are prohibited on non-emergency vehicles. For loud car stereos and bass systems, the typical enforcement path is the 'unreasonable or excessive noise' clause of A.C.A. § 5-71-207 (disorderly conduct) applied at the traffic stop, particularly where the stereo is plainly audible from outside the vehicle at a distance. The Fort Smith Municipal Code (Chapter 24 - Traffic) incorporates and supplements the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Code by reference, so traffic citations are routinely issued under both the city traffic code and Title 27. Modified motorcycles and pickup trucks with removed mufflers are the most common targets of A.C.A. § 27-37-601 enforcement.