Loud Exhaust System? It Could Mean Jail Time Starting April 1 in New York

We've all heard the loud exhaust systems that some cars on Hudson Valley roads have, and if you have one, or are thinking about altering your exhaust to sound louder, you might want to rethink it as a new law is going to make it really expensive to anyone caught with a loud exhaust.

If you spend any time driving on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie or on any of the major roads in the Hudson Valley, you've definitely come across that one car, truck, or motorcycle that you can hear coming from 5 miles away.

Most of the vehicles have those really loud exhaust systems on them and anytime I've had one pass me while I'm driving along Route 9 in Poughkeepsie into Wappingers Falls, I ask myself, "why would someone want their car to be that loud?" Anytime I've seen or heard a loud one it's usually one of those really small compact cars that a lot of the "under 30" crowd drive.

Honestly, it doesn't really bother me, it's not something I would do to the truck I drive today, but if I had a 1970 Chevelle or any muscle car, I think I would want the exhaust to sound tough, and yes, tough to me is loud, but now loud could mean heavy fines and possibly jail time.

New Exhaust Law in New York

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles starting Friday, April 1st, they will increase the fines and penalties for motorists, inspection stations, and repair shops that illegally modify mufflers or exhaust systems to make them excessively noisy. The new law prohibits the sale or the offer to alter the muffler of any vehicle to make it louder than it was originally.

Fines if Caught

The new law states that anyone caught modifying any muffler on a car or truck to be louder will be subjected to fines up to $1,000 and/or up to 30 days in jail. The fine for anyone caught modifying a muffler on a motorcycle could be up to $500.