New Bedford, MA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 17-17(c)
- Standard
- No unnecessary noise beyond driver/passengers
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100.00
- Escalation
- Up to $300.00 for 3rd+ offense within a year
- Origin
- Ordinance of 9-12-1985, amended 1987 and 1994
Summary
New Bedford bars motor vehicle radios or sound systems from creating unnecessary noise for anyone other than the driver and passengers of that vehicle. Sec. 17-17(c) sets the rule, with fines up to $300 for repeat offenders.
(c)No motor vehicle radio or sound reproduction systems operated within a motor vehicle shall be used in such a manner as to create unnecessary noise for any person other than the driver and passengers in said vehicle.(d)Penalty. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be punished as follows: Upon a conviction for the first offense, by a fine of up to one hundred dollars ($100.00); Upon a conviction for the second offense within one year from the commission of the first offense, by a fine of up to two hundred dollars ($200.00); Upon a conviction for each subsequent offense within one year from the commission of the first offense, by a fine of up to three hundred dollars ($300.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19).
Full Breakdown
Section 17-17(c), part of the city's "Radios, tape players and other sound amplification devices" ordinance, provides: no motor vehicle radio or sound reproduction system operated within a motor vehicle shall be used in such a manner as to create unnecessary noise for any person other than the driver and passengers in said vehicle. Unlike subsection (a), which sets a specific 70-decibel-at-15-feet threshold for portable devices in public areas, subsection (c) uses an "unnecessary noise" standard for in-vehicle sound systems, leaving the determination to the officer based on whether the sound is audible and disruptive to people outside the vehicle.
00. The ordinance was adopted September 12, 1985 and amended March 12, 1987 and September 8, 1994. It sits within Chapter 17, "Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions," and is separate from the city's Traffic chapter (Chapter 23), though Section 17-15's cross-reference notes the overlap between vehicle-related noise and the traffic code. There is no muffler-specific or engine-brake provision elsewhere in Chapter 17; vehicle equipment noise beyond sound systems is not separately addressed in this chapter of the city code.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the vehicle sound-system rule in Sec. 17-17(c) draws a fine of up to $100.00, escalating to up to $200.00 for a second offense within one year, and up to $300.00 for each further offense within that year, per the shared penalty schedule in subsection (d). Police can cite a driver whose car stereo is audible and disruptive to bystanders outside the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get fined for a loud car stereo in New Bedford?
What is the fine for a loud vehicle stereo in New Bedford?
Does New Bedford set a decibel number for car stereos?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Bedford
Compare New Bedford to another location·View the Massachusetts noise ordinances overview
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bristol County handle vehicle noise.