Exhaust Noise Laws by State
Compare exhaust noise regulations across all 50 states.
| State | Status | Key limits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Alaska | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Arizona | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Arkansas | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| California | Conditional | dB limit cars: 95 dB Test standard: current SAE standard (J1492 ramp test) | Details → |
| Colorado | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Connecticut | Conditional | Pre 1979: 76 / 78 and 82 / 84 dB(A) Measured at: 50 feet dB limit cars: 72 dB(A) soft site / 74 hard site at 35 mph or less; 79 / 81 above 35 mph (post-1979 vehicles) | Details → |
| Delaware | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Florida | Conditional | 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 | Details → |
| Georgia | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Hawaii | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Idaho | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Illinois | Conditional | Measured at: 50 feet from the lane centerline dB limit cars: 74 dB(A) on roads posted 35 mph or less (76 on >3% grade); 82 dB(A) above 35 mph (85 with snow tires) | Details → |
| Indiana | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Iowa | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Kansas | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Kentucky | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Louisiana | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Maine | Conditional | Nature: statutory safe harbor dB limit: 95 dB Applies to: motor vehicles other than motorcycles +1 more on the state page | Details → |
| Maryland | Conditional | Stationary: 100 dB(A) at 3 feet from the exhaust for vehicles built after January 1, 1988 Measured at: 50 feet dB limit cars: 78 dB(A) in zones of 45 mph or less; 82 dB(A) above 45 mph | Details → |
| Massachusetts | Conditional | Standard: no louder than the original equipment; no modification that amplifies noise Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Michigan | Conditional | Other: heavy vehicles 86/90 dBA; motorcycles 82/86 dBA Measured at: 50 feet dB limit cars: 76 dBA at 35 mph or less; 82 dBA above 35 mph +1 more on the state page | Details → |
| Minnesota | Conditional | Authority: Minn. R. 7030.1060 dB limit cars: approximately 75 dBA at 50 feet (published as a distance-versus-level graph, not a table) | Details → |
| Mississippi | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Missouri | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Montana | Conditional | Exempt: motorcycles and quadricycles dB limit cars: 95 dB Test standard: SAE J1169 (May 1998) | Details → |
| Nebraska | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Nevada | Conditional | Measured at: 50 feet dB limit cars: 76 dBA where the speed limit is 35 mph or less; 82 dBA above 35 mph | Details → |
| New Hampshire | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| New Jersey | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| New Mexico | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| New York | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| North Carolina | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| North Dakota | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Ohio | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Oklahoma | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Oregon | Conditional | Measured: stationary test at 25 feet per DEQ procedures dB limit cars: 94 dBA pre-1976; 91 dBA 1976 and newer Other vehicles: 92/88 dBA | Details → |
| Pennsylvania | Conditional | Test: 50-ft limits 76–92 dBA by vehicle class and speed (67 Pa. Code § 157.11) | Details → |
| Rhode Island | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| South Carolina | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| South Dakota | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Tennessee | Conditional | dB limit: 95 dB Applies to: all motor vehicles other than motorcycles Test standard: SAE measurement | Details → |
| Texas | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Utah | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Vermont | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Virginia | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Washington | Conditional | Test: in-use 50-ft limits 72–90 dBA (WAC 173-62-030); 95 dBA test applies to pre-1986 vehicles only | Details → |
| West Virginia | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Wisconsin | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
| Wyoming | Conditional | Statewide decibel limit: none | Details → |
Limits shown apply to sedans, or to all vehicles where the law doesn't distinguish. Vehicle-specific rules, exceptions, and statute citations are on each state's page.
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