Mosinee, WI Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Horn limit
- Max 3 seconds per minute
- Engine brakes
- Compression-activated brakes banned citywide
- Exhaust requirement
- Effective muffler required
- Emergency exemption
- Police, fire, ambulance vehicles exempt
- First-offense penalty
- $25 to $500 forfeiture
Summary
Mosinee bans excessive vehicle horn use and unmuffled engine or exhaust noise under Code § 54-193(b)(1) and (6): horns cannot sound more than three seconds per minute except as a danger warning, and engine brakes activated by compression are banned citywide.
(1)Horns, signaling devices. The sounding of any horn or signaling device on any automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle on any street or public place in the city for longer than three seconds in any period of one minute or less, except as a danger warning; the creation of any unreasonably loud or harsh sound by means of any signaling device and the sounding of any plainly audible device for an unnecessary and unreasonable period of time; the use of any signaling device except one operated by hand or electricity; the use of any horn, whistle or other device operated by engine exhaust and the use of any signaling device when traffic is for any reason held up. ... (6)Exhausts. The discharge into the open air of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine or motor boat except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises therefrom. No person shall use motor vehicle brakes within the city which are in any way activated or operated by the compression of an engine of any such motor vehicle or any unit or part thereof.
Full Breakdown
Two subsections of Mosinee's loud-and-unnecessary-noise ordinance target vehicle noise specifically. Subsection (b)(1) bars sounding any horn or signaling device on an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle on a street or public place for longer than three seconds in any one-minute period, except as a danger warning. It also bars any unreasonably loud or harsh signaling sound, any plainly audible signaling device sounded for an unnecessary or unreasonable period, any signaling device that is not hand- or electrically-operated, any horn or whistle operated by engine exhaust, and sounding a signaling device simply because traffic is backed up.
Subsection (b)(6) separately addresses engine and exhaust noise: it requires that any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine or motor boat discharge into open air only through a muffler or similar device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noise, and it flatly bans using motor vehicle brakes that are activated or operated by engine compression, in other words engine or 'Jake' brakes, anywhere in the city. , which is enforced under the city's general nighttime noise curfew rather than under this vehicle-specific subsection. The city's emergency-vehicle exemption in subsection (d)(5) covers police, fire and ambulance vehicles. Violations of subsections (b)(1) and (b)(6) fall under the general penalty in § 1-13.
Violations & Fines
Sounding a horn for more than three seconds in a minute, using an unmuffled engine or exhaust, or running a compression-activated engine brake violates § 54-193(b)(1) and (6). The general penalty in § 1-13 applies: $25 to $500 for a first offense, $50 to $1,000 for a repeat offense within 12 months, plus jail time in default of payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are engine brakes illegal in Mosinee?
How long can I honk my horn in Mosinee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mosinee
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marathon County handle vehicle noise.