Wauwatosa, WI Noise Ordinances: Vehicle Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Section 7.48.040, Chapter 7.48 Disorderly Conduct
- Covered sources
- Automobile horns and motor vehicle operation noise
- Standard
- Disturbs comfort, quiet or repose nearby
- Origin
- Prior code § 9.02(4); Ord. 72-13, 1972
- Penalty
- $1 to $5,000 forfeiture, Section 1.12.010
Summary
Wauwatosa Municipal Code Section 7.48.040 bars any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound from an automobile horn or other warning device, and separately bars loud, excessive or unusual noise from operating any motor vehicle, motorcycle, mini-bike or other motor-propelled vehicle, in both cases where it disturbs nearby residents' comfort and repose.
No person shall cause, suffer, or allow any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound by means of any automobile horn or other warning device, which shall disturb the comfort, quiet, or repose of persons in the vicinity thereof. No person owning, occupying or having charge of any building or premises or any part thereof shall cause, suffer or allow any loud, excessive or unusual noise in the operation or use of any motor vehicle, motorcycle, mini-bike or any other motor-propelled vehicle which loud, excessive or unusual noise shall disturb the comfort, quiet or repose of persons in the vicinity therein.
Full Breakdown
02(4), amended by Ord. 72-13 in 1972. It has two distinct prohibitions. The first targets any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound from an automobile horn or other warning device that disturbs the comfort, quiet or repose of people in the vicinity, covering excessive or gratuitous horn honking rather than a horn used for genuine safety warning. The second reaches a person owning, occupying or in charge of a building or premises who causes, suffers or allows loud, excessive or unusual noise from operating any motor vehicle, motorcycle, mini-bike or other motor-propelled vehicle, which reaches revving engines, aftermarket exhaust noise and similar vehicle operation noise tied to a property.
020 for mechanical or electrical devices and vehicles. The section predates modern muffler-equipment standards found in the Wisconsin Statutes for moving traffic violations, and functions as the city's own nuisance-based backstop for excessive vehicle or horn noise connected to a fixed building or premises within Wauwatosa.
Violations & Fines
Section 7.48.160 sends a Section 7.48.040 violation to the general penalty in Section 1.12.010: a forfeiture of one to five thousand dollars for a first offense, at least twenty-five dollars for a repeat conviction, with each day of continued excessive vehicle or horn noise chargeable as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is honking a car horn illegal in Wauwatosa?
Does Wauwatosa regulate loud exhaust or revving engines?
What is the penalty for a vehicle-noise violation in Wauwatosa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wauwatosa
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