Texarkana, TX Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Stereo audibility limit
- 30 feet from vehicle
- Engine brake fine
- up to $300 per use
- Muffler
- required on all vehicles
- Engine brake status
- banned citywide
Summary
Texarkana bars car stereos audible 30+ feet away, requires a suitable muffler on every motor vehicle, and outright bans engine compression braking citywide, with jake-brake violations fined up to $300 per use.
No person operating or occupying a motor vehicle...shall operate or permit the operation of any sound amplification system from within the vehicle so that the sound is plainly audible at a distance of 30 or more feet from the vehicle. ... It shall be unlawful for the driver of any truck or other motor vehicle to use or operate...any mechanical exhaust device, or engine compression brake...which results in the excessive, loud, unusual or explosive noise from such vehicle.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
City code treats vehicle noise as three separate offenses. Sec. 28-241 requires every gas or diesel vehicle to run a suitable muffler designed to minimize exhaust noise at all times. Sec. 28-242 makes it an offense to run a car stereo, radio, or other sound amplification system loud enough to be plainly audible 30 feet away, on any street, alley, lot, or driveway, public or private, moving or parked. Sec. 28-244 separately bans engine compression ("jake") braking that produces excessive, loud, or explosive noise, punishable by up to $300 per use in municipal court, with an affirmative defense only for genuine emergency braking.
Violations & Fines
Municipal court misdemeanor; engine compression braking carries a fine up to $300.00 per offense, and each use of the brake counts as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can my car stereo legally be in Texarkana?
Can truckers use jake brakes in Texarkana?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Texarkana
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Texarkana to another location·View the Texas noise ordinances overview
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