Georgetown, TX Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 8.16.070(C)
- Audibility distance
- 30 feet from the vehicle
- Presumed operator
- The vehicle's driver
- Covered devices
- Radio, tape, CD, or sound-making device
- Penalty
- $100-$2,000, Class C misdemeanor
Summary
Georgetown bans playing a car radio, tape, CD player, or other sound-making device loud enough to be heard, or felt as a vibration, from 30 feet away on a public right-of-way, street, or highway. The driver is presumed to be the operator.
C.Noise producing vibrations from vehicles. No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit operation of a radio, tape or CD player, or other electronic or mechanical sound-making device from a motor vehicle in a manner which emits sound audible on a public right-of-way, street, or highway, to the human ear of a person with average and normal hearing, at a distance of 30 or more feet from the motor vehicle or which causes a person at that distance to be aware of a vibration accompanying the sound. It shall be presumed that the driver of any such vehicle is the operator of the sound-making device(s).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
070(C) prohibits operating a radio, tape or CD player, or other electronic or mechanical sound-making device from a motor vehicle in a manner that emits sound audible on a public right-of-way, street, or highway to a person of average hearing standing 30 or more feet from the vehicle, or that causes that person to feel an accompanying vibration at that distance. The section creates a rebuttable presumption that the driver of the vehicle is the operator of the sound-making device, removing the need to prove who inside the vehicle actually controlled the stereo.
070(B). Unlike the general reasonable-person standard, subsection (C) is a fixed, distance-based test rather than a subjective one, making it easier for officers to enforce without needing a decibel meter or a complaining witness. 080(4).
Violations & Fines
Playing a vehicle stereo audible from 30 feet away violates Section 8.16.070(C) and is a Class C misdemeanor under Section 8.16.100, fined $100.00 to $2,000.00, or $200.00 to $2,000.00 for a repeat offender, with each occurrence a separate offense. The Chief of Police issues the citation and can escalate to an administrative stop order for continued violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my car stereo be in Georgetown?
Who gets the ticket if a passenger controls the stereo?
Are loud mufflers or engine brakes covered by this rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Georgetown
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Georgetown to another location·View the Texas noise ordinances overview
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