Title 31
Motor and Other Vehicles

Chapter 45
Noise Limits for Motor Vehicles

R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-45-1

§ 31-45-1. Noise limits.

(a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle, nor shall the owner of any vehicle allow the vehicle to be operated, at any time, or under any condition of grade, load, acceleration, or deceleration, in such a manner as to exceed the following noise limit based on a distance of fifty feet (50′) from the center of the lane of travel within the speed limit. For the purposes of this section, “dbA” means decibels measured with a calibrated sound level meter weighted to the “A” scale.

(b) In speed zones of thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph) or less, not more than eighty-six (86) dbA. In speed zones of more than thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph), not more than ninety (90) dbA.

(c) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

History of Section.
P.L. 1976, ch. 197, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 292, § 126.