Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Pima County, AZ Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Muffler requirement
no modifications that amplify sound
Tire squealing
banned outright, any time
Repair/test-run curfew
10 p.m. to 7 a.m. in residential areas
Coverage
unincorporated Pima County only
Penalty class
class 1 misdemeanor
Vehicles covered
cars, motorcycles, ATVs, minibikes, go-carts

Summary

In unincorporated Pima County, motor vehicles must run a functioning, unmodified muffler at all times, and squealing your tires on the roadway is banned outright under Section 9.30.060. Repairing, rebuilding or test-running a vehicle in a residential area between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is also illegal if the noise disturbs a reasonable neighbor. Violating any part is a class 1 misdemeanor.

City-specific rules exist: Tucson has its own vehicle noise rules that differ from Pima County's county-level regulations. If you live in Tucson, check the city-specific page instead.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person within any residential area of this county to repair, rebuild or test any motor vehicle between the hours of 10:00 p.m. of one day and 7:00 a.m. of the next day in such a manner as to create an excessive, unnecessary or offensive noise that a reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance. B. No person shall operate or cause to operate any motor vehicle unless the exhaust system of such vehicle: 1. Is free from defects which may cause sound level magnification, 2. Is equipped with a muffler, 3. Has not been modified in such a manner which will amplify or increase the sound level emitted by the motor of such vehicle above that emitted by a muffler originally installed on the vehicle as manufactured for initial sale. C. No person shall operate a motor vehicle in such a manner which creates the squealing of tires in the roadway.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).

Full Breakdown

010 keeps Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and South Tucson under their own codes). the next if the work creates excessive, unnecessary or offensive noise causing discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable, normally sensitive resident. Subsection B is a standing equipment requirement, in force at every hour: a vehicle's exhaust system must be free of defects that cause sound level magnification, must be equipped with a muffler, and cannot be modified in a way that amplifies or increases the sound level above what the factory-installed muffler produced when the vehicle was first sold.

Subsection C flatly bans operating a vehicle in a manner that squeals its tires on the roadway, with no noise-level or intent threshold to prove. 030(E) to include licensed and unlicensed vehicles, minibikes, go-carts, all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles, so off-road and recreational vehicles fall under the same rules as street cars. 080 cover agricultural equipment used in farming operations, authorized emergency vehicles responding to calls, county vehicles on official business, and vehicles engaged in defined emergency work; ordinary daytime repair work is not a listed exemption, it simply falls outside the prohibited conduct described in Subsections A through C.

090 classifies any violation of the chapter as a public nuisance and a class 1 misdemeanor, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense.

Violations & Fines

Violating Section 9.30.060, whether it's a defective or removed muffler, an illegally loud aftermarket exhaust, late-night repair work in a residential area, or squealing tires, is charged as a class 1 misdemeanor, Arizona's highest misdemeanor class, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine under A.R.S. §§ 13-707 and 13-802. Section 9.30.090 treats each day of continuing noise as a separate chargeable offense, so an unrepaired loud exhaust can generate a new citation every day it's driven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a loud aftermarket exhaust illegal in unincorporated Pima County?
Yes. Section 9.30.060(B) requires every vehicle to run a muffler that hasn't been modified to amplify or increase sound above what the factory muffler produced, so swapping in an exhaust that makes the vehicle louder than stock violates the code regardless of decibel level.
Can I work on my car outside at night?
Not in a residential area. Section 9.30.060(A) bans repairing, rebuilding or test-running a motor vehicle between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. if the noise disturbs a reasonable, normally sensitive neighbor; the same work is allowed during the day.
Does peeling out or squealing tires break the noise code even briefly?
Yes. Section 9.30.060(C) bans squealing tires on the roadway outright, with no minimum duration, distance or decibel threshold to satisfy, unlike the neighbor-annoyance standard used elsewhere in the chapter.
Does this rule apply to motorcycles and ATVs?
Yes. Section 9.30.030(E) defines 'motor vehicle' to include minibikes, go-carts, all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles as well as licensed and unlicensed vehicles, so all of them fall under the same muffler and noise standards.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pima County

All Pima County rules

Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview

Get notified when Vehicle Noise in Pima County, AZ changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Vehicle Noise in Cities Across Pima County