Nashua, NH Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Stereo audibility limit
- Not audible beyond 50 feet
- Exhaust rule
- No straight-pipe exhaust without muffler
- Minimum fine
- $100 per violation
- Governing chapter
- City Code Chapter 201, Noise
Summary
Nashua bans car stereos audible beyond 50 feet, straight-pipe exhaust without a legal muffler, racing engines, and unnecessary horn use, enforced under Chapter 201 with fines starting at $100 per violation.
A person operating in or in control of a parked or moving motor vehicle shall not operate or permit the operation of an electrically amplified sound system in or on the motor vehicle so as to produce sound that is clearly audible more than 50 feet (15 meters) from the motor vehicle except as otherwise authorized.
B. A person shall not operate a motor vehicle so as to make any loud, unusual, or unnecessary noise occasioned by any one or more of the following actions by the operator:
(1) Misuse of power, exceeding tire traction limits in acceleration sometimes known as "laying down rubber" or "peeling rubber" or excessive acceleration where there is no emergency.
(2) Misuse of braking power, exceeding tire traction limits in deceleration where there is no emergency.
(3) Rapid acceleration by means of quick up-shifting of transmission gears with either a clutch or manual transmission or automatic transmission.
(4) Rapid deceleration by means of quick down-shifting of transmission gears with either a clutch or manual transmission or automatic transmission.
(5) Racing of engines by manipulation of the accelerator, gas pedal, carburetor, or gear selection whether the vehicle is either in motion or standing still.
(6) Use of a straight pipe exhaust system, meaning any straight-through exhaust system that does not contain baffles or otherwise does not meet the definition of muffler in New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated 259:66.
(7)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4805762; v29 updated 2026-02-10; through 02-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
Nashua's noise ordinance singles out motor vehicles: amplified stereo systems can't be audible more than 50 feet away, straight-pipe exhausts that skip a real muffler (as defined in RSA 259:66) are banned, and drivers can't lay rubber, rev or race engines, quick-shift gears, or lean on the horn except as a genuine danger warning. Violators get a written order to stop or fix the noise, face a fine of at least $100, and each day the violation continues after that order is a separate offense under City Code § 1-12.
Violations & Fines
Fined at least $100 per violation; officers issue a written cease-and-abate order, and each day of continued noise after that order is a separate offense (§ 201-3).
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my car stereo legally be in Nashua?
Are straight-pipe exhausts illegal in Nashua?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashua
Compare Nashua to another location·View the New Hampshire noise ordinances overview
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle vehicle noise.