Maryland: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Maryland bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
Maryland requires a working horn audible from at least 200 feet, but no horn or warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. A separate subsection bars sirens, whistles, and bells except on emergency vehicles. Air and train horns are not named, but a locomotive-style horn is likely to be treated as unreasonably loud. The horn may be used only to warn of a hazard.
Conditions
- Horn may not be unreasonably loud or harsh
- No siren, whistle, or bell on non-emergency vehicles
- Horn use only to warn of a hazard
What the law says
but no horn or other warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. ... No vehicle may be equipped with nor may any person use on a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
Sources
- Md. Code, Transportation § 22-401 Official · mgaleg.maryland.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Maryland State Police, Automotive Safety Enforcement Division
- Phone
- 410-768-7388
- Website
- mdsp.maryland.gov
How bordering states compare
- Delaware Allowed with limitsDelaware has no train horn ban, but drivers may not use a horn to make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound.
- Pennsylvania Allowed with limitsPennsylvania bans whistles, whistle-like devices and any unreasonably loud or harsh sound device on vehicles driven on highways.
- Virginia Allowed with limitsVirginia allows only State Police-approved warning devices on public roads and bans unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds; air horns aren't addressed for cars.
- West Virginia Allowed with limitsWest Virginia bars unreasonably loud or harsh horns and whistles, and bans sirens, whistles and bells on ordinary vehicles.