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Exhaust Noise in Vermont

Conditional

Vermont sets no statewide decibel limit for passenger cars. A muffler in good working order is required, exhaust may not produce excessive or unusual noise, and cutouts or bypasses are prohibited.

Verified against primary sources · August 2026

What the law says

Vermont law is qualitative rather than numeric: A muffler in good working order is required, exhaust may not produce excessive or unusual noise, and cutouts or bypasses are prohibited. Vermont enforces exhaust condition through its general 'properly equipped' requirement plus annual inspection. 66, which would have added statewide noise limits and an exhaust-modification ban, passed the Senate but died in House Transportation on May 29, 2026 — Vermont law is unchanged.

Specific Limits

Statewide decibel limit
none

Statute

23 V.S.A. § 1221 ('properly equipped' defined at § 4(37))

Read the statute →

Frequently Asked Questions

Are exhaust noise legal in Vermont?
Vermont sets no statewide decibel limit for passenger cars. A muffler in good working order is required, exhaust may not produce excessive or unusual noise, and cutouts or bypasses are prohibited.
What are the exact exhaust noise limits in Vermont?
Statewide decibel limit: none. Source: 23 V.S.A. § 1221 ('properly equipped' defined at § 4(37)).

Street-legal exhaust noise picks

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