Milpitas, CA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Chapter 213's definitions section lists specific sounds that count as "Disturbing Noise" for enforcement purposes, and two examples target vehicles directly: playing a radio, stereo, loud speaker or sound amplifier louder than needed for the willing listeners inside the vehicle or room where it plays, and continuously or repeatedly accelerating a motor vehicle or other engine while stationary, defined in the code as "revving" the engine. The list is illustrative, not exclusive, so other vehicle-related sounds, like an aftermarket exhaust or a car alarm sounding without a danger warning, can still be charged as Disturbing Noise under the same chapter.

Once a sound qualifies as Disturbing Noise, § V-213-3(a) 3.01 and 3.02 apply the residential-zone limit: it is unlawful for anyone in, or any property owner controlling, a residentially zoned district to permit noise that exceeds three dB over the local ambient level or 65 dB, whichever is stricter, measured from the source property line. A stereo or revving engine audible between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. from 50 feet, or from any nonstationary source at 100 feet, is a prima facie violation under § V-213-3(a) 3.03, regardless of the decibel reading.

Chapter 213 declares any violation a public nuisance under § V-213-4, and § V-213-5 makes violations enforceable as infractions citable under Title I, Chapter 20 procedures, escalating to a misdemeanor after three convictions within twelve months under § V-210-13.11's cross-referenced multiple-offense rule.