Pawtucket, RI Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- § 286-14 (vehicle noise); § 286-6 (car stereo)
- Stereo curfew
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Prima facie stereo test
- Audible 50 feet from the vehicle
- Examples covered
- Screeching tires, racing motors, loud mufflers
- Penalty
- Up to $100 per offense (§ 286-19 / § 286-6(C))
Summary
Pawtucket makes it unlawful to operate a motor vehicle in a way that causes a reasonable, normally sensitive resident discomfort or annoyance under City Code § 286-14, naming screeching tires, racing engines and loud mufflers as examples. A separate section, § 286-6, bars blasting a car stereo or radio loud enough to disturb neighbors between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor-driven vehicle within the City in such a manner that a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance. This section shall include screeching of tires, racing of motors and loud mufflers, but shall not be limited to the aforesaid.
Full Breakdown
Section 286-14, in Chapter 286's Noise article, is written broadly: it does not set a decibel limit for vehicles the way § 286-4's ambient base table does for stationary equipment. Instead it bans operating any motor-driven vehicle so as to cause discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable, normally sensitive person living in the area, and it lists screeching tires, racing motors and loud mufflers as examples while making clear the list is not exclusive, so an aftermarket exhaust, revving on a residential street, or repeated burnouts all fall inside the section.
, loud enough to disturb neighboring residents; § 286-6(D) sets a prima facie test of exceeding the ambient base level by five decibels at the property line, or being plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the vehicle. Either a police officer's own observation or a resident complaint can support a citation under § 286-14 or § 286-6, and § 286-6(E) specifically allows any person, not just an officer, to be the complainant. Enforcement runs through the Police Division under § 286-18.
Violations & Fines
A § 286-14 violation is punished under the chapter's general penalty, § 286-19, with a fine of not more than $100 per offense. A car-stereo violation charged under § 286-6 carries the same $100 cap per offense, set out directly in § 286-6(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be ticketed in Pawtucket for a loud aftermarket muffler?
What are the hours for playing a car stereo loudly in Pawtucket?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pawtucket
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Vehicle Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle vehicle noise.