Can you get a ticket for playing music too loudly in your car? Here’s what WA law says

Driving with the windows down and music playing is a summer tradition. But if the volume’s too loud, can you get pulled over? Here’s what Washington law has to say.

WA cities limit car stereo noise

With a few exceptions, noise laws in Washington are decided by local governments , not the state. While most cities’ rules regulating how much noise your car speaker can make are similar, they do differ slightly.

• Seattle , for example, limits the noise produced by a car stereo to anything that can be “clearly heard” from 75 feet away .
• Tacoma law prohibits stereos from playing music that’s audible from more than 50 feet away .
• Other cities that fall into the 50 feet camp include Bellingham , Olympia and Richland .
• Kennewick law also specifies that car stereos can’t be audible from more than 50 feet away , adding that they can’t produce frequencies under 138 Hz or be amplified by a subwoofer either.
• Pasco , meanwhile, uses the 75-foot standard .

How much is a city ticket for loud music?

The cost of a ticket for playing music too loudly in your car varies from city to city. Richland law directs officers to warn first-time offenders before leveling a fine for any subsequent violations. But in other cities, including Bellingham, Pasco and Kennewick, the fine for a first-time offense can reach up to $250. In Seattle, Olympia and Tacoma a ticket could cost you up to $500.

What is state law in WA on loud music?

While state law doesn’t regulate how loud car speakers can be, it does set limits on how much noise a vehicle can make in general. On a public highway, a car is considered too loud if it’s producing a noise over 78 decibels, as measured from 50 feet away, in an area with a speed limit over 45 miles per hour. In areas with a speed limit under 45, the noise limit drops to 72 decibels.

According to a decibel comparison chart maintained by Purdue University, 78 decibels is slightly louder than living room music (76 decibels) and slightly quieter than a typical garbage disposal (80 decibels). A similar chart from Yale University has 80 decibels listed as the volume of a phone’s dial tone.

Motorcycles and trucks over 10,000 lbs. have slightly more leeway. A motorcycle can produce a noise 82 decibels in areas with a speed limit over 45, and 78 decibels in areas with a lower speed limit. Trucks that weigh over 10,000 lbs. are allowed to produce 90 decibels in 45-plus zones and 86 decibels in slower areas.

Additionally, state law provides guidelines on how much noise you can make when you’re near someone else’s property. If you’re in a residential area, you’re not allowed to produce a noise that can be heard at over 55 decibels from someone else’s house. In a commercial area that number jumps to 60 decibels while in an industrial area, the limit is 70 decibels.

Between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. those numbers each get reduced by ten decibels.