Phoenix, AZ Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 36-73
- 1st offense fine
- At least $50
- 2nd offense fine
- At least $100
- 3rd+ offense fine
- At least $250
- Exhaust/muffler rule
- City Code § 23-14(g)
Summary
Playing a car radio or amplified stereo loud enough to annoy neighbors is a civil violation in Phoenix, with escalating court-imposed fines starting at fifty dollars.
No person shall play any radio, stereo, phonograph, musical instrument, or other amplified musical system which incorporates the use of loudspeakers or amplifiers, in or on automobiles, trucks, buses, or other moving or standing vehicles in such a manner or with such volume as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of any person or neighborhood in the vicinity.
c. Penalty.
1. Upon a conviction of a violation of this section, the court shall impose a civil sanction of not less than fifty dollars.
2. Upon a second conviction of a violation of this section, the court shall impose a civil sanction of not less than one hundred dollars.
3. Upon a third or subsequent conviction of a violation of this section, the court shall impose a civil sanction of not less than two hundred fifty dollars.
d. Definitions.
1. Amplified musical system is defined as a mechanical or electrical musical instrument, or music-producing device, equipped with an electrical amplifier or loudspeaker.
2. Loudspeaker is defined as a device used for converting electrical energy to sound and amplifying it. A loudspeaker or amplifier may be built into the instrument or device and does not necessarily have to be physically detached from that instrument or device. (Code 1962, § 37-34.03; Ord. No. G-3466, § 1; Ord. No. G-3521, § 1) Cross reference—Nuisances and noise, § 23-11 et seq.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Phoenix City Code § 36-73 bars playing a radio, stereo, phonograph, or any amplified musical system in or on a vehicle 'in such a manner or with such volume as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of any person or neighborhood in the vicinity,' whether the vehicle is moving or standing. The same section separately bans mechanical loudspeakers or amplifiers on vehicles for advertising. Excessive vehicle exhaust noise is covered too: City Code § 23-14(g) requires a muffler or equivalent device on any motor vehicle engine to prevent loud or explosive exhaust noise.
Violations & Fines
First conviction: civil sanction of at least $50. Second conviction: at least $100. Third or subsequent conviction: at least $250, per § 36-73(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a decibel limit for car stereos in Phoenix?
What if my car's exhaust is just loud, not blasting music?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
Compare Phoenix to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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