Exhaust Noise in Florida
Florida sets exact limits at 50 feet: passenger cars from model year 1979 on may not exceed 72 dBA in zones posted 35 mph or less and 79 dBA above that (76/82 for older cars). A muffler in constant operation is separately required, and cutouts are prohibited.
Verified against primary sources · September 2026
What the law says
Fla. Stat. § 316.293(2) sets the table, measured at 50 feet: cars 1979 and newer, 72 dBA at 35 mph or less and 79 dBA above; pre-1979 cars, 76/82 dBA; motorcycles 78/82; vehicles over 10,000 lb GVWR, 86/90. The often-quoted 82-86 dBA figures are the truck rows, not the passenger-car rule. § 316.272 requires a muffler in constant operation and bans cutouts and bypasses (a noncriminal infraction), and § 316.2935 bans tampering with air-pollution controls. There is no 95 dB tailpipe test in Florida.
Specific Limits
- Measured at
- 50 feet
- dB limit cars
- 72 dBA at 35 mph or less / 79 dBA above 35 mph (1979 and newer); 76/82 dBA pre-1979
- Heavy vehicles
- 86/90 dBA for vehicles over 10,000 lb GVWR
Frequently Asked Questions
Are exhaust noise legal in Florida?
What are the exact exhaust noise limits in Florida?
Street-legal exhaust noise picks
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