Portland, ME Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Sec. 17-20, adopted by Ordinance No. 182-02/03 on March 17, 2003 and found in Chapter 17's Offenses, Miscellaneous Provisions, prohibits any person occupying a public right-of-way in the City from operating a "noise-creating device" in a manner that draws the public's attention to the source of the noise. The section defines "public right-of-way" broadly as any street, roadway, alley, sidewalk or other area dedicated for public travel, and defines "straight pipe exhaust system" as any straight-through muffler lacking baffles, including glass packs, steel packs and straight pipes.

Two of the listed examples target vehicles directly: one clause bars rapid throttle advance or revving of an internal combustion engine that increases engine noise, and another bars operating a motor vehicle, expressly including a motorcycle, fitted with a straight-pipe exhaust, a cutout or bypass device, or any exhaust that does not meet Maine's own equipment standards under 29-A M.R.S.A. § 1912. Five exceptions in subsection (d) exempt constitutionally protected expression, conduct preempted by state statute, noise made by a government entity performing official duties, noise covered by an issued permit, and lawful signaling devices.

Penalties in subsection (e) escalate sharply with repeat violations: $50.00 for a first offense, $100.00 for a second, $200.00 for a third, and $500.00 for a fourth and any subsequent offense. Because the fine schedule is keyed to the offender rather than a single vehicle, a driver cited more than once for a loud exhaust or aggressive revving on Portland streets moves up the penalty ladder each time.