Washington Administrative Code › Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508) › Chapter 173-62 - Motor vehicle noise performance standards › Section 173-62-030 - Standards

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) No person shall
			 operate any motor vehicle or any combination of such vehicles upon any public
			 highway under any conditions of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in
			 such a manner as to exceed the maximum permissible sound levels for the
			 category of vehicle in Table I, as measured at a distance of 50 feet (15.2
			 meters) from the center of the lane of travel within the speed limits
			 specified, under procedures established by the state commission on equipment in
			 chapter 204-56 WAC, "procedures for measuring motor vehicle sound levels."
Table I
IN-USE MOTOR VEHICLE NOISE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Measured @ 50 feet (15.2 meters)
Maximum Sound Level,
dBA Speed Zones
Vehicle
Category
(type)
Effective
Date
45 mph
(72 kph)
or less
Over
45 mph
(72 kph)
Stationary Test
Motorcycles
July 1, 1980
78
82
N/A
Automobiles, light trucks and all other motor
							 vehicles 10,000 pounds (4536 kg) GVWR or less
July 1, 1980
72
78
N/A
35 mph
(56 kph)
or less
Over
35 mph
(56 kph)
All motor vehicles over 10,000 pounds (4536 kg)
							 GVWR
June 1, 1977 1986 and after
86
Reserved
90
Reserved
86
Reserved
(2)
			 Every motor vehicle operated upon the public highways shall at all times be
			 equipped with an exhaust system and a muffler in good working order and
			 constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise.
(3) No person shall operate a motor vehicle
			 in such a manner as to cause or allow to be emitted squealing, screeching or
			 other such noise from the tires in contact with the ground because of rapid
			 acceleration or excessive speed around corners or other such reason, except
			 that noise resulting from emergency braking to avoid imminent danger shall be
			 exempt from this provision.
(4) No
			 person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public highway if the vehicle
			 exhaust system exceeds the maximum permissible sound levels of Table II for the
			 category and year of vehicle, as measured at a distance of twenty inches (0.5
			 meter) from the exhaust outlet under procedures established by the state
			 commission on equipment in chapter 204-56 WAC, "procedures for measuring motor
			 vehicle sound levels."
(5) No
			 person shall sell or offer for sale a NEW MOTOR VEHICLE except an off-highway
			 vehicle, which produces a maximum noise exceeding the noise levels in Table III
			 at a distance of 50 feet (15.2 meters) under acceleration test procedures
			 established by the state commission on equipment in chapter 204-56 WAC,
			 "procedures for measuring motor vehicle sound levels."
Table II
IN-USE MOTOR VEHICLE EXHAUST SYSTEM NOISE PERFORMANCE
				STANDARDS
Measured @ 20 inches (0.5 meters)
Vehicle Category
(type)
Model Year
Maximum Sound Level, dBA
Motorcycles
before 1986
1986 and after
99
(reserved)
Automobiles, light trucks and all other motor
							 vehicles 10,000 pounds (4536 kg) GVWR or less
before 1986
1986 and after
95
(reserved)
Table III
MAXIMUM SOUND LEVELS FOR NEW MOTOR VEHICLES
Measured @ 50 feet (15.2 meters)
Vehicle Category (type)
Date of Manufacture
Maximum Sound Level, dBA
Any motor vehicle
over 10,000 pounds (4536 kg)
GVWR excluding buses
before January 1, 1978
after January 1, 1978 after January 1, 1982
86
83
80
All buses over
10,000 pounds
(4536 kg) GVWR
after January 1, 1980
after January 1, 1983
after January 1, 1986
85
83
80
Motorcycles
after January 1, 1976
after January 1, 1986
83
80
Automobiles, light trucks and all other motor
							 vehicles 10,000 pounds (4536 kg) GVWR or less
after January 1, 1976
80
Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.107 RCW. 80-14-041 (Order DE
				  80-29), § 173-62-030, filed 9/30/80; Order DE 77-2, § 173-62-030,
				  filed 6/1/77; Order DE 75-17, § 173-62-030, filed 8/11/75; Order DE 74-33,
				  § 173-62-030, filed 1/30/75, effective
				  7/1/75.