Greenburgh, NY Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Horn rule
- § 380-7A
- Racing/tire-squeal rule
- § 380-7L
- Audibility test
- 50 feet
- Racing section added
- Dec. 9, 2020
- First-offense fine
- $50-$500
- Second-offense fine
- $250-$1,500
Summary
Greenburgh bars unnecessary horn use except as a Vehicle and Traffic Law warning signal, and separately makes tire-squealing acceleration or racing noise audible 50 feet away prima facie evidence of a Noise Law violation under §§ 380-7A and 380-7L.
A. The sounding of any horn or signal device on any motor vehicle, except as a warning signal pursuant to the provisions of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York. ... L. The noise created during the operation of any motor vehicle, or any other vehicle, as a result of an unlawful speed contest, as defined in § 460-1 of the Town Code, as the unnecessary racing of motors, acceleration tests, and any excessive burst of speed, which causes the tires to squeal, in or upon any public street, highway, or place in the Town while moving, parked or at a standstill and which is clearly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the source of the noise shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4570580; v39 updated 2025-10-22; through 10-22-2025).
Full Breakdown
Two provisions of Chapter 380 target vehicle-generated noise. Section 380-7A bars 'the sounding of any horn or signal device on any motor vehicle, except as a warning signal pursuant to the provisions of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York,' so a horn used to vent frustration in traffic, rather than as a genuine traffic-safety warning, is a prohibited act. Section 380-7L reaches racing and burnout-style noise: it makes the noise created during the operation of a motor vehicle as a result of an unlawful speed contest, unnecessary racing of motors, acceleration tests, and any excessive burst of speed that causes tires to squeal, on or upon a public street while moving, parked or at a standstill, prima facie evidence of a violation whenever that noise is clearly audible at a distance of 50 feet.
That fifty-foot audibility test means an officer does not need a sound-level meter reading to write the ticket, unlike the generalized 65/70 dBA standard in § 380-7C. Excessive engine exhaust noise from a vehicle without an effective muffler is separately covered by § 380-7F. Section 380-7L was added December 9, 2020 by Local Law No. 9-2020, part of the Town's response to street racing and illegal vehicle meet-ups.
Violations & Fines
A horn violation under § 380-7A or a racing/tire-squeal violation under § 380-7L is a Chapter 380 offense: a first conviction is a criminal violation carrying $50 to $500 under § 380-9A, rising to a misdemeanor of $250 to $1,500 for a second conviction within three years under § 380-9B.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is honking your horn illegal in Greenburgh?
What counts as illegal vehicle noise from racing in Greenburgh?
When was the tire-squeal and racing noise rule added?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenburgh
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