Scottsdale, AZ Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 4518, effective 9-14-2021
- Where banned
- Only locations with a posted prohibition sign
- Minimum civil sanction
- $200
- Maximum civil sanction
- $2,500
- Exceptions
- Imminent risk to life/property; emergency vehicles
Summary
Scottsdale Code Section 17-63 bans using a compression release engine brake, sometimes called a 'jake brake,' anywhere the City has posted a sign prohibiting it, specifically to cut excessive vehicle noise. Violators face a civil sanction of $200 to $2,500.
(A)In order to reduce excessive vehicle noise levels, no person shall operate a braking mechanism which uses a compression release engine brake to slow or stop a motor vehicle at any location within the city at which a sign is posted giving notice to motorists that the use of such a braking device is prohibited except as follows:(1)It was necessary to apply the compression release engine brake in order to avoid an imminent risk of injury to life or property; or(2)The compression release engine brake was applied in order to slow or stop a fire or other emergency vehicle, when the vehicle was responding to an emergency.(C)A violation of subsection A above is a civil traffic violation and is subject to a minimum civil sanction of two hundred dollars ($200.00) and a maximum civil sanction of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Adopted by Ordinance No. 4518 on September 14, 2021, Section 17-63(A) states the purpose up front: reducing excessive vehicle noise levels. It bars operating a braking mechanism that uses a compression release engine brake to slow or stop a motor vehicle at any location within the city where a sign has been posted notifying motorists the device is prohibited there. Two narrow exceptions apply: the brake was necessary to avoid an imminent risk of injury to life or property, or it was applied to slow or stop a fire or other emergency vehicle responding to an emergency.
Section 17-63(B) defines a compression release engine brake broadly to include, but not be limited to, an engine braking mechanism that activates exhaust valves in the cylinders after the compression cycle, releasing trapped compressed air and slowing the vehicle, covering aftermarket 'jake brake' systems on diesel trucks as well as factory equivalents. Because the prohibition is sign-dependent, it functions as a location-specific noise ordinance: the City posts signs on the streets where engine-brake noise has been a nuisance (typically residential arterials used by heavy trucks), and enforcement only attaches where a sign is actually in place giving notice of the restriction.
Violations & Fines
Section 17-63(C) makes a violation a civil traffic violation subject to a minimum civil sanction of $200 and a maximum of $2,500. The sanction applies per instance of using the brake where a prohibition sign is posted, and the emergency exceptions in subsection (A) are the only defenses built into the section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are engine brakes banned in Scottsdale?
What's the fine for using a jake brake in a posted zone in Scottsdale?
Can I use an engine brake in Scottsdale in an emergency?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
Compare Scottsdale to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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