New Britain, CT Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Sec. 16-107 of Chapter 16, Article V targets vehicle noise specifically. Subsection (a) ties ordinary motor vehicle noise, meaning engine and exhaust, to the decibel levels set by Connecticut's own vehicle noise regulations authorized under Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 14-80a rather than the city's own zone table. Subsection (c) covers unregistered recreational vehicles such as dirt bikes and ATVs operated off-road: their noise cannot exceed the Sec. 16-105(a) zone standard and, separately, cannot be audible more than 100 feet from the vehicle. Subsection (d) then layers a blanket rule on top of all of it: regardless of what subsections (a) through (c) allow, no noise from a motor vehicle other than the noise of its own engine, which reaches car stereos and aftermarket sound systems, can be audible more than 300 feet away during daytime hours or more than 100 feet away during nighttime hours, 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

New Britain police enforce the article using certified sound-level meters per Sec. 16-103. Sec. 16-108(b) sets a stand-alone penalty for Sec. 16-107 violations at $99.00 per instance, higher than the base $50.00 first-offense fine for other noise-article violations, and there is no escalating daily fine structure for repeat vehicle-noise citations: each stop is its own $99.00 instance.