Virginia Muffler Law???
06-23-2009, 08:00 AM
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Virginia Muffler Law??? So I went through a police checkpoint this weekend, and the cop had me pull off to the side and after 45 minutes he came back, and handed me a ticket for my muffler saying it was too loud. I asked him what the law was for decibals, and he just told me that any after market part was illegal in Virginia. I don't believe that, and I was looking for the law and this is all I could find.
46.2-1047. Muffler cutout, etc., illegal.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.
(Code 1950, § 46-306; 1950, p. 54; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-302; 1964, c. 628; 1989, c. 727; 2006, cc. 529, 538.)
I don't have any of that, I still have a cat converter, and all my vavles. I do however have the sts system installed so my tail pipe is about 8 inches from the end of the turbo. So it is really throaty, but nessacary for the system I have installed, it is not unsafe or anything of that nature, I just don't feel like paying the state of Virginia my hard earned money so that they can spend it on unrepaired roads, that will never get done.
46.2-1047. Muffler cutout, etc., illegal.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.
(Code 1950, § 46-306; 1950, p. 54; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-302; 1964, c. 628; 1989, c. 727; 2006, cc. 529, 538.)
I don't have any of that, I still have a cat converter, and all my vavles. I do however have the sts system installed so my tail pipe is about 8 inches from the end of the turbo. So it is really throaty, but nessacary for the system I have installed, it is not unsafe or anything of that nature, I just don't feel like paying the state of Virginia my hard earned money so that they can spend it on unrepaired roads, that will never get done.
06-23-2009, 08:54 AM
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Yeah what is your exhaust setup?? Heck i pretty much have nothing on my car and i rarely get bothered by cops (knock on wood). Also where at in VA are you?? I think as long as you have cats and a muffler you should be fine. Take a pic of it and bring to court and say that you have all of the necessary emissions requirements and etc.
06-23-2009, 09:51 AM
#4
This cut out, was it open at the time of the ticket?? As far as the Baffle issue, are STS systems 50 state legal??? I am not sure but you may have to fight it and if they have a CARB # and at the time of the ticket, you showing the car had a legal exhaust system I think you will be fine.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.
I know turbos quiet down a normally straight through system, but you could make this your arguement.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.
I know turbos quiet down a normally straight through system, but you could make this your arguement.
06-23-2009, 11:00 AM
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Coming from my friend who is a state inspector here in VA, he says that the car exhaust must have cats, mufflers and the tailpipe must exit the vehicle completely just like a stock system.
But that is for inspections of instate cars, if you are from out of state, then it should not matter. Some localities have sound laws that are more restrictive then the state.
Is this what he hit you on? This is the law that pisses most virginians off.
46.2-1049. Exhaust system in good working order.
No person shall drive and no owner of a vehicle shall permit or allow the operation of any such vehicle on a highway unless it is equipped with an exhaust system in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual levels of noise; provided however, that for motor vehicles, such exhaust system shall be of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use on the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment. An exhaust system shall not be deemed to prevent excessive or unusual noise if it permits the escape of noise in excess of that permitted by the standard factory equipment exhaust system of private passenger motor vehicles or trucks of standard make.
The term "exhaust system," as used in this section, means all the parts of a vehicle through which the exhaust passes after leaving the engine block, including mufflers and other sound dissipative devices.
Chambered pipes are not an effective muffling device to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and any vehicle equipped with chambered pipes shall be deemed in violation of this section.
But that is for inspections of instate cars, if you are from out of state, then it should not matter. Some localities have sound laws that are more restrictive then the state.
Is this what he hit you on? This is the law that pisses most virginians off.
46.2-1049. Exhaust system in good working order.
No person shall drive and no owner of a vehicle shall permit or allow the operation of any such vehicle on a highway unless it is equipped with an exhaust system in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual levels of noise; provided however, that for motor vehicles, such exhaust system shall be of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use on the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment. An exhaust system shall not be deemed to prevent excessive or unusual noise if it permits the escape of noise in excess of that permitted by the standard factory equipment exhaust system of private passenger motor vehicles or trucks of standard make.
The term "exhaust system," as used in this section, means all the parts of a vehicle through which the exhaust passes after leaving the engine block, including mufflers and other sound dissipative devices.
Chambered pipes are not an effective muffling device to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and any vehicle equipped with chambered pipes shall be deemed in violation of this section.
06-23-2009, 11:05 AM
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I had a 50 State legal certificate for my exhaust and went to court over the ticket. I lossed. Any change from the stock muffler you are able to get fined. The Judge said the companies will print anything to sell an exhaust.....I think your best bet is to just pay the ticket.
This exhaust was on Honda too.
After that ticket, I just seemed to continually get more.
This exhaust was on Honda too.
After that ticket, I just seemed to continually get more.
06-23-2009, 11:17 AM
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Where exactly were you in Virginia? I mean, I technically don't have a muffler on my car but I have never gotten any kind of ticket for it being loud. I've even passed VA state inspection.
From my understanding, in a general sense, you could show your most current inspection ticket after you got all your mods on it and should be able to walk. I could be wrong though. I live in probably the strictest part of Virginia as far as crackdowns on modifications go.
From my understanding, in a general sense, you could show your most current inspection ticket after you got all your mods on it and should be able to walk. I could be wrong though. I live in probably the strictest part of Virginia as far as crackdowns on modifications go.
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06-23-2009, 09:17 PM
#11
Want297z has it right. In the state of VA, if you're exhaust isn't pretty much exactly like it came from the factory, it isn't legal. On top of that, any kind of chambered pipe is illegal (unless it's exactly like the stock resonator).
Also, an inspection sticker won't do you any good. If you say the illegal stuff was on the car when the inspection station passed you... all you did was screw over the inspection station. They could possibly get a HUGE fine and lose their license. They'll likely deny the parts were there, which will throw everything back on you, but you'll still skyline them.
I have headers, Y-pipe, cats, 3" pipe, a single chambered I pipe, and Corsa clone tips. It's throaty and can get loud when I get on it. It's also illegal in the state of VA. Needless to say, I take it a little easy around the cops.
If you play... you pay (sometimes).
Also, an inspection sticker won't do you any good. If you say the illegal stuff was on the car when the inspection station passed you... all you did was screw over the inspection station. They could possibly get a HUGE fine and lose their license. They'll likely deny the parts were there, which will throw everything back on you, but you'll still skyline them.
I have headers, Y-pipe, cats, 3" pipe, a single chambered I pipe, and Corsa clone tips. It's throaty and can get loud when I get on it. It's also illegal in the state of VA. Needless to say, I take it a little easy around the cops.
If you play... you pay (sometimes).
06-24-2009, 06:19 PM
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Want297z has it right. In the state of VA, if you're exhaust isn't pretty much exactly like it came from the factory, it isn't legal. On top of that, any kind of chambered pipe is illegal (unless it's exactly like the stock resonator).
Also, an inspection sticker won't do you any good. If you say the illegal stuff was on the car when the inspection station passed you... all you did was screw over the inspection station. They could possibly get a HUGE fine and lose their license. They'll likely deny the parts were there, which will throw everything back on you, but you'll still skyline them.
I have headers, Y-pipe, cats, 3" pipe, a single chambered I pipe, and Corsa clone tips. It's throaty and can get loud when I get on it. It's also illegal in the state of VA. Needless to say, I take it a little easy around the cops.
If you play... you pay (sometimes).
Also, an inspection sticker won't do you any good. If you say the illegal stuff was on the car when the inspection station passed you... all you did was screw over the inspection station. They could possibly get a HUGE fine and lose their license. They'll likely deny the parts were there, which will throw everything back on you, but you'll still skyline them.
I have headers, Y-pipe, cats, 3" pipe, a single chambered I pipe, and Corsa clone tips. It's throaty and can get loud when I get on it. It's also illegal in the state of VA. Needless to say, I take it a little easy around the cops.
If you play... you pay (sometimes).
06-24-2009, 07:59 PM
#13
Emissions testing and vehicle inspections, while sometimes done at the same time, are two different things. Requirements for emissions testing don't necessarily apply to all counties. However, state regulations apply to the entire state... it doesn't matter what part you're in.
06-25-2009, 11:10 AM
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Also, an inspection sticker won't do you any good. If you say the illegal stuff was on the car when the inspection station passed you... all you did was screw over the inspection station. They could possibly get a HUGE fine and lose their license. They'll likely deny the parts were there, which will throw everything back on you, but you'll still skyline them.
Emissions testing and vehicle inspections, while sometimes done at the same time, are two different things. Requirements for emissions testing don't necessarily apply to all counties. However, state regulations apply to the entire state... it doesn't matter what part you're in.
07-06-2009, 07:46 PM
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I was just looking online about this law after getting a ticket this weekend on 64 for my exhaust. I have a 09 cobalt ss with a Hahn exhaust. Its not any louder then the stock just a different tone. which isnt like the ricers running around c-ville. My question has anyone gotten out of this ticket yet? Hell my turbo is louder spinning up then my exhaust
07-07-2009, 11:08 AM
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I was just looking online about this law after getting a ticket this weekend on 64 for my exhaust. I have a 09 cobalt ss with a Hahn exhaust. Its not any louder then the stock just a different tone. which isnt like the ricers running around c-ville. My question has anyone gotten out of this ticket yet? Hell my turbo is louder spinning up then my exhaust
Good luck.
