Irvington, NJ Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Township Code § 397-2R
- Covers
- Parked or moving vehicle stereo, muffler noise
- Added
- 1986 (Ord. No. MC 2805, amended MC 2815)
- Enforcement
- Public Safety, Code Enforcement Officer
- Related
- Muffler rule at § 397-2F
Summary
Irvington Township bans playing a car radio, stereo, tape player or other sound device loud enough to unreasonably annoy nearby people, whether the vehicle is parked or moving. Defective mufflers and loud exhausts are banned separately. The Department of Public Safety and Code Enforcement Officer enforce both rules under Chapter 397.
The playing or permitting of the playing of any radio, stereo, tape recorder or machine or device producing loud sound in any motor vehicle parked on any public street, public or private parking lot or driveway or yard or in any moving vehicle which sounds are in such volume so as to unreasonably annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort, peace or repose of any person or persons present or living or working in the vicinity of said parked or moving motor vehicle. ... Exhausts. ... The discharge into the open air of the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary jet or internal-combustion engine or motor vehicle except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises therefrom.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4996945; v39 updated 2026-07-13; through 07-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
Township Code § 397-2R makes it a violation to play a radio, stereo, tape recorder or any sound-producing device in a motor vehicle, whether parked on a public street, parking lot, driveway or yard, or in a moving vehicle, at a volume that unreasonably annoys or disturbs the quiet, comfort, peace or repose of anyone present or living or working nearby. This subsection was added in 1986 by Ord. No. MC 2805 and amended the same year by Ord. No. MC 2815. § 397-2G also targets vehicles "so out of repair, so loaded or operated" that they create loud grating, grinding or rattling noise.
A companion provision, § 397-2Q, bans playing a radio or similar device on public transportation, sidewalks, parks or in front of residences loud enough to be heard beyond the operator's own hearing range, unless a personal ear-listening device is used. Enforcement under § 397-6 runs through public law enforcement officers and the Code Enforcement Officer. The general noise numeric standard in § 397-3 (65 dB day, 50 dB night) can also apply where the offending vehicle noise is measurable, since § 397-2 acts are declared violations of § 397-1 regardless of whether a decibel reading is taken.
Violations & Fines
Violations of §§ 397-1 and 397-2 (which include the vehicle-stereo and muffler provisions) are subject to the general penalty schedule in Chapter 1, Article III, Penalties, of the Township Code, enforced by Public Safety and the Code Enforcement Officer. The schedule printed in § 397-7B applies specifically to loudspeaker/amplifier permit violations under § 397-4: $50 first offense, $150 second, $250 third, and a mandatory $750 fourth-offense fine with court appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get cited for a loud car stereo while parked in Irvington?
Does Irvington regulate loud mufflers separately from stereos?
Who enforces Irvington's vehicle noise rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Irvington
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