Montgomery County considers noise cameras to curb loud vehicles

WHEATON, Md. - Montgomery County is considering a pilot program to install noise cameras aimed at reducing excessive noise from vehicles. County Council members will hold a listening session on Tuesday to discuss the proposal.

The program, proposed by Council Vice President Kate Stewart and Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez, would introduce three noise cameras to monitor and enforce state noise laws. These devices will detect cars exceeding 80 decibels and record audio and video if the noise level is at least five decibels above the limit. Offenders will receive a warning for the first violation and a fine of up to $75 for subsequent offenses. The citations will be civil, not criminal.

The cameras will be placed in various locations around the county, with the ability to be moved as needed. 

This initiative follows similar implementations in New York City and Knoxville, Tennessee, where noise cameras have successfully reduced noise pollution.

Residents can share their opinions on the proposal at the listening session starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday. If approved, the pilot program will run until the end of June 2026.

More information on Bill 14-24, Vehicle Noise Abatement Monitoring - Pilot Program and the public hearing can be found online.