Grant County, WA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- GCC § 6.24.020 and § 6.24.040
- Muffler rule
- Must be in good working order, operating
- Stereo limit
- Unlawful if audible past 75 feet
- Enforcing agency
- Grant County Sheriff's Office
- First offense
- $150 civil infraction
- Second offense
- Misdemeanor, up to 90 days or $1,000
Summary
In unincorporated Grant County, § 6.24.020 bans motor vehicles without a working muffler and stereo systems audible more than seventy-five feet away. Section 6.24.040 makes any resulting motor vehicle noise disturbance unlawful countywide, and the Sheriff's Office can issue civil infractions with escalating fines under § 6.24.070.
(2)The operation of a motor vehicle upon a public highway which is not equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation. ... (4)The operation, use, or possession of a motor vehicle audio equipment or sound systems, such as but not limited to, a radio, a tape player or a compact disc player, which is operated at such a volume so as to be audible at a distance of seventy-five feet from the source of the sound.
Full Breakdown
020 to include several specific violations. Under subsection (2), operating a vehicle on a public highway without a muffler in good working order and in constant operation is a disturbance. Subsection (4) targets audio equipment: any radio, tape player, compact disc player or similar sound system operated so it is audible at a distance of seventy-five feet from the source of the sound violates the chapter. The definition also covers the frequent or repetitive sounding of a horn or siren except as a warning of danger (subsection (1)), tire squeal from rapid acceleration or braking except when necessary to avoid danger (subsection (3)), and frequent or continuous noise from starting, repairing, rebuilding or testing a vehicle or engine in a residential zone that unreasonably disturbs neighbors (subsection (5)).
040 makes it unlawful for any person to cause or allow any of these motor vehicle noise disturbances to originate from property they control, or from public property they are using, anywhere in unincorporated Grant County. 030. 050(a)(1) and (8).
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the motor vehicle noise rules is a civil infraction carrying a $150 penalty under § 6.24.070. A second violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to ninety days in the Grant County Jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Each twenty-four-hour period in which the noise continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my car stereo legally be in unincorporated Grant County?
Do I need a working muffler on my vehicle in Grant County?
What's the penalty for a vehicle noise violation in Grant County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grant County
Compare Grant County to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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