New Rochelle, NY Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Car limit under 35 mph
- 76 db(A) at 50 feet
- Car limit over 35 mph
- 82 db(A) at 50 feet
- Heavy truck limit
- 86-90 db(A) depending on speed
- Motorcycle limit
- 82-86 db(A) depending on speed
- Emergency vehicle exemption
- § 213-6.B exempts authorized emergency vehicles
- Max fine
- $250 per offense/day
Summary
New Rochelle caps how loud a moving vehicle can be under § 213-6: 76 db(A) for ordinary cars under 35 mph and 82 db(A) above that speed, with higher ceilings for motorcycles and heavy trucks, measured 50 feet from the lane. Emergency vehicles are exempt, and violators face fines up to $250 under § 213-27.
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.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4601407; v60 updated 2025-12-02; through 12-02-2025).
Full Breakdown
Section 213-6 makes it unlawful to operate any motor vehicle on a public highway, under any condition of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration, in a manner that exceeds the A-weighted sound levels the section sets, measured at or adjusted to a distance of 50 feet from the center of the travel lane. C sets three tiers: an ordinary motor vehicle is capped at 76 db(A) at speeds of 35 mph or less and 82 db(A) above 35 mph; a motorcycle is capped at 82 db(A) and 86 db(A); and a vehicle or combination weighing more than 10,000 pounds is capped at 86 db(A) and 90 db(A), at or below and above 35 mph respectively.
B. Separately, § 213-7 caps stationary heavy vehicles equipped with an engine speed governor at 88 db(A), measured 50 feet from the vehicle's longitudinal centerline when the engine is revved from idle to governed speed with the transmission in neutral. Section 213-8 limits refuse-collecting vehicles to 80 db(A) at 10 feet while collecting or compacting, and § 213-9 sets separate, declining sound-level ceilings for off-road recreational vehicles and snowmobiles keyed to the vehicle's manufacture date, ranging from 92 db(A) down to 73 db(A) at 50 feet depending on engine displacement and model year.
All of these limits fall under Article III, "Sound-Level Standards," of the Noise Control Ordinance and are enforced by the Police Department, which can order a vehicle's owner to correct a violation under § 213-26.
Violations & Fines
A motor vehicle exceeding the § 213-6 sound limits, a stationary truck exceeding the § 213-7 governor limit, or a refuse vehicle over the § 213-8 cap is punishable under § 213-27 by a fine of not more than $250 or imprisonment of not more than 15 days, or both, with each day of a continuing violation, such as an unrepaired defective muffler, charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my car legally be in New Rochelle?
Are emergency vehicles exempt from the noise limit?
What about a truck idling with a loud engine brake or governor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Rochelle
New York rules heatmap·Compare New Rochelle to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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How other cities in Westchester County handle vehicle noise.