Tamarac, FL Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Horn limit
- Max 10 seconds while vehicle not moving
- Muffler required
- Exhaust must pass through a muffler
- Out-of-repair noise
- Grating/grinding/rattling audible at 15 feet banned
- Danger-signal exception
- Horn allowed to warn of out-of-control vehicle
- First offense fine
- Up to $250/day
- Repeat fine
- Up to $500/day, or $5,000 via magistrate
Summary
In the City of Tamarac, Code section 9-87(7) makes it unlawful to discharge engine exhaust into the open air except through a muffler that effectively prevents loud or explosive noise, section 9-87(1) caps a stationary horn at ten consecutive seconds, and section 9-87(5) bars driving a vehicle so out of repair it causes grating or rattling noise audible from fifteen feet.
(1)The sounding of any horn or signal device on any automobile, motorcycle, bus or other vehicle while not in motion, for more than ten (10) consecutive seconds that is plainly audible from the property of another, except as a danger signal if another vehicle is approaching apparently out of control, or, if in motion, only as a danger signal after or as brakes are being applied and deceleration of the vehicle is intended; ... (5)The use of any automobile, motorcycle or vehicle so out of repair, so loaded or in such manner as to cause loud grating, grinding, rattling or other noise that is plainly audible from a distance of fifteen (15) feet or more; ... (7)The discharge into the open air of the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary internal-combustion engine, motor vehicle or motorboat engine, except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises therefrom.
Full Breakdown
Tamarac's vehicle-noise rules sit inside the broader unlawful-noise list in section 9-87, which the ordinance treats as per se violations needing no sound-level measurement. Subsection (1) limits sounding a horn on a stationary vehicle to no more than ten consecutive seconds when it is plainly audible from another's property, carving out a genuine danger-signal exception for warning of an out-of-control vehicle or while braking. Subsection (5) separately bars operating a vehicle so out of repair, overloaded, or mishandled that it causes loud grating, grinding, or rattling noise audible from fifteen feet or more. Subsection (7) requires engine exhaust, whether from a motor vehicle or a motorboat, to pass through a muffler or other device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noise before discharge into the open air; section 9-86(c) defines muffler as baffles, chambers, or acoustical absorbing material that reduce sound emission at one end. All three provisions are enforced through the sworn-complaint or officer-observation process in section 9-95.
Violations & Fines
Under section 9-95(e), a first vehicle-noise violation can draw a fine of up to 250 dollars per day and a repeat violation up to 500 dollars per day. The code enforcement board or special magistrate is separately authorized to impose as much as 1,000 dollars per day for a first violation, 5,000 dollars per day for a repeat, and 15,000 dollars per violation if the noise is found irreparable or irreversible, with each day a distinct offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tamarac cite me for a loud car stereo or muffler?
How long can I lean on my car horn in Tamarac?
What counts as a muffler under Tamarac's vehicle-noise rule?
What's the penalty for a vehicle-noise citation in Tamarac?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tamarac
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