Noise as a result of vehicle repairs, horns, alarms, stereos and running engines can cause a lot of disturbance to neighbours.

Your duties as a vehicle owner

If you own a car or motorbike, you need to know about vehicle-related noise offences and take care not to commit them.

• Legal action can be taken if car repairs cause a noise nuisance, which can lead to prosecution or seizure of tools. In extreme cases, it can lead to eviction.
• It is an offence under the Road Traffic Acts to sound your horn before 8am or after 11pm.
• Vehicle owners whose car alarms ring for long periods of time can be prosecuted. Officers have the power to break into a car to turn the alarm off, or to tow the car away. The owner will incur costs for the call-out. Ensure that your car alarm has an automatic cut out after five minutes of ringing.
• Fines can be incurred for owners of cars whose radios or stereos are being played at high volumes.
• It is an offence under the Road Traffic Acts to let an engine run whilst a vehicle is stationary. This is sometimes unavoidable, but do be considerate to neighbours that live close by.

More information is available in the 'Noise from stationary vehicles' leaflet.

Report a noise nuisance