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Mission, TX Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Muffler
Required on all vehicle exhaust
Sound-equipment limit
Not audible beyond 100 feet
Sound-truck license
Required from city secretary
Sound-truck hours
One hour daily, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Enforcement
Mission police, municipal court

Summary

Mission requires every motor vehicle's exhaust to pass through a working muffler, and caps vehicle-mounted sound equipment so it is not audible beyond 100 feet. Driving a loud, rattling, or defective vehicle also violates the noise article.

The volume of sound shall be controlled so that it will not be audible for a distance in excess of 100 feet from the sound truck and so that volume is not unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing or a nuisance to persons within the area of audibility.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).

Full Breakdown

Section 42-237 makes it a violation to discharge motor-vehicle exhaust into the open air except through a muffler that effectively prevents loud or explosive noise, and Section 42-236 bars driving a vehicle so out of repair or loaded that it grates, grinds, or rattles. Vehicle-mounted amplifiers count as "sound trucks": Section 42-273 caps their volume so it is not audible beyond 100 feet, Section 42-301 requires a license from the city secretary, and Section 42-274 limits operation to one hour daily between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Standard car radios heard only by the occupants are exempt. Mission police enforce it, and violations are prosecuted in municipal court.

Violations & Fines

Running a vehicle without an effective muffler, driving a rattling or overloaded vehicle, or operating vehicle-mounted sound equipment audible past 100 feet each violate Article VI and draw a municipal-court fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Mission set a decibel limit for car stereos?
No. Mission's noise article sets no dBA number for car stereos. It bars unmuffled exhaust and rattling vehicles, and caps vehicle-mounted amplifiers ("sound trucks") so sound is not audible past 100 feet.
Do I need a permit to run speakers mounted on my truck?
Yes. Under Section 42-301 any "sound truck" with amplifying equipment needs a license from the city secretary, and operation is limited to one hour a day between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
Is an ordinary car radio covered?
No. Section 42-271 excludes standard automobile radios used and heard only by the vehicle's occupants. The sound-truck rules apply to mounted amplifiers projecting sound outward.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Mission

All Mission rules

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