Loveland, CO Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Audibility threshold
- 25 feet from the vehicle
- Permit issuer
- city manager, under § 7.32.070
- Government/emergency sound
- exempt under § 9.28.015(C)
- Default penalty basis
- general penalty, § 1.12.010
- Court surcharge
- $15.00 per violation
Summary
Loveland Municipal Code § 9.28.015 bars running a car stereo, PA system, or other vehicle-mounted sound equipment loud enough to be plainly audible 25 feet or more away, unless the city manager has issued a temporary permit for the specific sound source, hours, and days involved.
A.It is unlawful for any person to use, operate or allow to be used or operated any loudspeaker, public address system, radio, tape player, disc player or other sound system amplifying equipment in or on a motor vehicle in such a manner as to be plainly audible at 25 feet or more from the motor vehicle unless a permit has been issued by the city manager pursuant to Section 7.32.070 of this Code and such person is in compliance with the provisions of such permit.B.For the purposes of this section, the phrase "plainly audible" means that the information content of sound is unambiguously transferred to the auditor, such as but not limited to, understanding of spoken speech, comprehension of raised or normal voices or comprehension of musical rhythms.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).
Full Breakdown
015, added in 1995, applies to any loudspeaker, public address system, radio, tape player, disc player, or other sound-amplifying equipment operating in or on a motor vehicle. The threshold is 'plainly audible' at 25 feet or more from the vehicle, which subsection (B) defines as information content unambiguously transferred to a listener, such as understandable speech, comprehension of raised or normal voices, or recognizable musical rhythms, not just the presence of noise. 070, the same permit mechanism used for other noise-ordinance exceptions; the permit must specify its duration, the sound source covered, and the hours and days it applies, and any other limitations the city manager imposes.
Subsection (C) exempts sound made or controlled by the city, the federal government, or any branch or agency of state or local government, including sound from a government-sponsored activity or one operating under a government contract, lease, or permit, from the vehicle-noise rule entirely.
Violations & Fines
Operating amplified vehicle sound audible at 25 feet or more without a § 7.32.070 permit is unlawful under § 9.28.015(A); because Chapter 9.28 sets no specific fine for this section, it is punishable under the Code's general penalty in LMC § 1.12.010, a fine not exceeding what state law allows or imprisonment up to 364 days, plus a $15.00 court surcharge, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can I play my car stereo in Loveland?
Can I get a permit for a loud vehicle sound system for an event?
Does the vehicle noise rule apply to police or fire vehicles?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loveland
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Larimer County handle vehicle noise.