Sacramento County, CA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Noise from vehicles in unincorporated Sacramento County is regulated through a combination of California state law and the county's own noise code. For on-road motor vehicles, the controlling rules are in the California Vehicle Code. Section 27150 requires every motor vehicle to have an adequate muffler in constant operation and prohibits cutouts or bypasses, and Section 27151 makes it unlawful to modify an exhaust system so that the vehicle exceeds the noise limits established for its type. Local law does not override these statewide standards for cars and motorcycles on public roads. The County's Noise Control Program adds local provisions for specific situations. For vehicle alarms, county rules allow a police officer, upon complaint, to have a vehicle removed if its alarm has been sounding for 20 minutes without being silenced. For refuse and garbage collection vehicles, County Code Section 6.68.140 provides that garbage trucks may not exceed 75 dB measured at a distance of 50 feet in an open area, and residents with repeated early-morning collection noise (before 6 a.m.) are directed to contact the county. Loud exhaust and modified mufflers on public roads are typically enforced by the California Highway Patrol and the Sheriff under the Vehicle Code rather than by EMD.