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Gilbert, AZ Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Code of Gilbert § 62-4
Rev-engine exception hours
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. only
Violation classification
Civil traffic violation
Prosecuted under
Section 1-5, A.R.S. Title 28 Ch. 5
Enforcing agency
Gilbert Police Department
Last amended
Ord. No. 2925, Dec. 17, 2025

Summary

Code of Gilbert § 62-4 bans four specific vehicle noises: tire squealing from aggressive acceleration or turning, illegal horn or signal use, defective or modified exhaust systems that create excessive noise, and revving a stationary engine outside 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. except for repair, adjustment, or testing. Every violation is a civil traffic offense.

A person shall not intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly: ... (c)Create or produce noise from an exhaust system of any vehicle that is not equipped or constructed so as to prevent any disturbing or unreasonably loud noise.(d)Rev the engine of any vehicle while such vehicle is not in motion, except when done in the course of repairing, adjusting or testing the vehicle during the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on any day of the week.... (f)Violations of this section are civil traffic violations and shall be prosecuted as provided in section 1-5 of this code.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102).

Full Breakdown

Adopted originally as Code 1984 § 12-1-8 and last amended by Ordinance No. 2925 on December 17, 2025, Section 62-4 targets everyday vehicle noise rather than stationary property noise. Subsection (a) prohibits operating a vehicle at a speed on a curve or turn, or accelerating/decelerating, in a manner that creates disturbing or unreasonable noise through tire squeal on any street, sidewalk, parking garage, or parking lot, or that damages that pavement. Subsection (b) bars sounding a horn, signal, or noise device for any purpose not allowed by the Code, Arizona Revised Statutes, or federal law.

Subsection (c) prohibits an exhaust system that is not equipped or constructed to prevent disturbing or unreasonably loud noise: covering removed mufflers and aftermarket 'loud' exhaust kits. m. Subsection (e) exempts government vehicles operated by local, county, state, or federal employees, and noise from normal business or commerce conducted within customary hours and in compliance with all other ordinances. Subsection (f) classifies every violation as a civil traffic violation, prosecuted under Section 1-5 of the Code rather than as a criminal misdemeanor. The Gilbert Police Department enforces the section and can issue a citation on the spot; the case is then heard under the Arizona Rules of Procedure in Civil Traffic Cases.

Violations & Fines

A citation under § 62-4 is a civil traffic violation, not a misdemeanor, and is prosecuted under Section 1-5 following A.R.S. Title 28, Chapter 5, Articles 3 and 4 civil traffic procedures. Section 1-5(c) also provides that a person found responsible for three or more civil Code violations within an 18-month period faces escalated consequences beyond a standard sanction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is revving my engine at night illegal in Gilbert?
Yes, unless you are actively repairing, adjusting, or testing the vehicle. Section 62-4(d) only allows engine revving on a stationary vehicle between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.; revving outside those hours, or for any other reason, is a civil traffic violation.
Can I get a ticket for a loud aftermarket exhaust in Gilbert?
Yes. Section 62-4(c) prohibits any exhaust system that is not equipped or constructed to prevent disturbing or unreasonably loud noise, which covers removed mufflers and modified pipes; officers can cite the owner for the resulting noise.
Does Gilbert's vehicle noise law apply to government vehicles?
No. Section 62-4(e) exempts noise produced by local, county, state, or federal employees operating vehicles owned, rented, leased, or borrowed by their agencies, as well as noise from normal business conducted within customary hours.
Is a vehicle noise citation a criminal charge in Gilbert?
No. Section 62-4(f) classifies every violation as a civil traffic violation prosecuted under Section 1-5, following Arizona's civil traffic procedure rather than the criminal misdemeanor track used for most other Code offenses.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Gilbert

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