Is A Loud Exhaust Illegal In Massachusetts?

Ever since I've started driving here in Massachusetts, I can say almost every vehicle I've owned I've had have exhaust work done to it. Of course the vehicles I drive are more than 15 years old and with all the road salt in the winter, it's pretty obvious a metal exhaust pipe that's low to the ground can rust out and create holes. But what if you want to modify your exhaust to sound like a street racer? Is it legal or are you breaking the law?

Get our free mobile app

Here's the exhaust laws on a motor vehicle for Massachusetts according to Section 7.

No person shall operate a motor vehicle, nor shall any owner of such vehicle permit it to be operated upon any way, except fire department and fire patrol apparatus, unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler to prevent excessive or unnecessary noise, which muffler is in good working order and in constant. - malegislature.gov

You maybe wondering how many decibels an exhaust system has to be in order to be legal. Since 1983, sound levels are set by the National EPA Regulations on pollution and therefore exhaust systems can not exceed 80 decibels. While a police officer may not pull you over to measure how loud your exhaust is, however this may be when you go to bring your vehicle in for it's yearly inspection. Although you can get pulled over if your vehicle is loud and obnoxious like a clapped out rust bucket that's ready for the scrapyard.