Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1912 – Mufflers
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1. Muffler required. A person may not operate a motor vehicle unless that vehicle is equipped with an adequate muffler properly maintained to prevent excessive or unusual noise. For purposes of this subsection, “excessive or unusual noise” includes motor noise emitted by a motor vehicle that is noticeably louder than similar vehicles in the environment.
[PL 2009, c. 639, §1 (AMD).]
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1912
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on railroad tracks, but does not include:
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101Motorcycle: means a motor vehicle that has a seat or a saddle for the use of the rider and is designed to travel with only 2 or 3 10-inch or larger diameter wheels in ground contact and has a motor with a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cubic centimeters or an electric motor with a capacity of not less than 1,500 watts. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101 Muffler: means a device consisting of a series of chambers or baffle plates or another mechanical design for receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and reducing noise. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101 Person: means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, fiduciary, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101 Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system. Vehicle: means a device for conveyance of persons or property on a way. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
2. Cutouts prohibited. A muffler or exhaust system may not be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device.
[PL 2015, c. 206, §8 (AMD).]
3. Amplification prohibited. A person may not operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system that has been modified when the result of that modification is the amplification or increase of noise emitted by the motor above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle.
[PL 2009, c. 639, §2 (AMD).]
4. Exhaust system fastened to engine. The entire exhaust system must be complete, without leakage and securely fastened to the engine block and frame.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
5. Exception; racing meets.
[PL 2015, c. 206, §9 (RP).]
6. Defense for noise violations by motor vehicles. The following are defenses to a violation of subsection 1 or 3.
A. If a muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle as defined in section 101, subsection 42, not including a motorcycle, does not emit noise in excess of 95 decibels as measured in accordance with standards and specifications outlined in standard J-1169 adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers in May 1998, subsections 1 and 3 do not apply. A person served with a Violation Summons and Complaint charging a violation of subsection 1 or 3 must provide satisfactory evidence that the muffler or exhaust system does not emit noise in excess of 95 decibels as measured in accordance with standards and specifications outlined in standard J-1169 adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers in May 1998. Measurements must be made by a participating certified inspection station. [PL 2011, c. 158, §1 (NEW).]
B. [PL 2013, c. 100, §1 (RP).]
[PL 2013, c. 100, §1 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 140, §1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 452, §Q23 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 452, §X2 (AFF). PL 2005, c. 314, §11 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 639, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 158, §1 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 100, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 206, §§8, 9 (AMD).