Simi Valley, CA Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Time restriction
- none, applies at any hour
- Standard
- unreasonably loud engine or tire noise
- Violation type
- misdemeanor per day
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 6 months jail
- Distinct from
- § 5-16.02(d) engine curfew (excludes street vehicles)
- Governing code
- SVMC § 5-16.02(g)
Summary
Simi Valley makes it a public nuisance to race an engine or bring a vehicle to a sudden, tire-screeching stop that produces unreasonably loud noise, at any hour of the day, under Municipal Code § 5-16.02(g). Violators face a misdemeanor charge for each day the conduct continues.
The following acts are hereby expressly declared to be nuisances, and any person maintaining or permitting such nuisances, or any of them, to be maintained or to exist in or on his premises, whether as owner, lessee, or otherwise, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor for each day during which such nuisance shall be permitted to be continued: ... (g)Motor vehicles. The racing of any motor vehicle or needlessly bringing to a sudden start or stop any motor vehicle, which act produces unreasonably loud engine noise or tire noise; ... (k)Continuation of conduct prohibited by this section after notification by a Peace Officer that the activity is unlawful shall be prima facie evidence of malicious and willful intent.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
Vehicle noise gets its own clause in the City's general nuisance section, § 5-16.02(g): "The racing of any motor vehicle or needlessly bringing to a sudden start or stop any motor vehicle, which act produces unreasonably loud engine noise or tire noise" is declared a public nuisance. Unlike the curfew-based clauses elsewhere in § 5-16.02, this rule carries no nighttime window; racing an engine or laying down tire noise on a City street is prohibited at any hour.
The rule is distinct from § 5-16.02(d), which separately addresses unenclosed engines, motors, and mechanical devices operating near residential districts between 10:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. on weekends) and 7:00 a.m.; that subsection explicitly excludes "any such vehicle which is operated upon any public highway, street, or right-of-way," leaving § 5-16.02(g) as the operative rule for noise generated by moving traffic itself, day or night.
As with the rest of Chapter 16, a violation is a misdemeanor for each day it continues, exposing the driver to the Code's general penalty under § 1-2.02: a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in County Jail, or both. Under § 5-16.02(k), continuing the conduct after a Peace Officer's notice that it is unlawful is treated as prima facie evidence of malicious and willful intent, which can support enhanced enforcement action by the Police Department.
Violations & Fines
Racing an engine or squealing tires hard enough to produce unreasonably loud noise is a misdemeanor under § 5-16.02(g), chargeable for each day the conduct continues. The Code's general penalty section, § 1-2.02, caps punishment at a $1,000 fine, six months in County Jail, or both. Repeating the conduct after a Peace Officer's warning is treated as evidence of malicious intent under § 5-16.02(k).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the vehicle noise rule only apply at night?
What counts as "unreasonably loud" under this rule?
Can I be cited more than once for the same loud car?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Simi Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Simi Valley to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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