Mount Vernon, NY Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Passenger vehicle limit
- 76 db(A) at or under 35 mph, 82 db(A) above
- Heavy truck limit
- 86 db(A) at 35 mph or less, 90 db(A) above
- Measurement point
- 50 feet from center of the travel lane
- Muffler requirement
- Exhaust must discharge through a working muffler
- Enforcing agency
- City of Mount Vernon Police Department
- Maximum penalty
- $1,000 fine or 15 days jail, per day
Summary
Mount Vernon caps the sound of any moving motor vehicle at a fixed decibel level measured 50 feet from the roadway, and separately bans exhaust systems that lack a working muffler. Passenger cars cannot exceed 76 db(A) under 35 mph or 82 db(A) above it; the limits are stricter in relative terms for cars than for trucks, which start from a higher weight-based ceiling.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles at any time, under any condition of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration, in such a manner as to exceed the applicable A-weighted sound level set forth in this section. The maximum allowable sound levels are based on a sound level measured at, or adjusted to, a distance of 50 feet from the center of the lane in which the motor vehicle is traveling. These limits shall apply to the total sound level emitted.
Full Breakdown
3 makes it unlawful to operate any motor vehicle on a public highway, under any grade, load, acceleration or deceleration, in a manner that exceeds the A-weighted sound level fixed for its class, measured at or adjusted to 50 feet from the center of the travel lane. The table set by that section pulls its numbers from federal Environmental Protection Agency vehicle-noise regulations: any car or light vehicle is capped at 76 db(A) at 35 mph or less and 82 db(A) above 35 mph; motorcycles at 82 db(A) and 86 db(A); and any vehicle or combination over 10,000 pounds gross weight at 86 db(A) and 90 db(A).
Authorized emergency vehicles are exempt. 4, separately caps stationary engine-brake testing on heavy trucks equipped with an engine speed governor at 88 db(A) measured 50 feet from the vehicle's center line while the engine is revved from idle to governed speed in neutral. Apart from the moving-vehicle limits, § 178-4B(7) bans discharging engine exhaust into the open air except through a muffler or device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noises, and § 178-4B(8) separately targets a vehicle so out of repair or so loaded that it creates unnecessary grating, grinding or rattling noise.
17 and can order an operator to cease and desist or, with a judicial order, seal an offending device. 18, a violation is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or up to 15 days in jail, or both, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Violating the vehicle noise limits, the stationary engine-brake cap, or the muffler requirement under Chapter 178 is punishable under § 178-4.18 by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to 15 days, or both. Each day the excessive noise continues counts as a separate offense, so a defective muffler left unrepaired can generate a new citation daily until it is fixed or the vehicle is off the road.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my car legally be in Mount Vernon?
Is a loud aftermarket exhaust illegal here?
What happens if I get cited for a noisy vehicle?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Vernon
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