Minnesota: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Minnesota bars horns that are unreasonably loud or harsh or that whistle, and only emergency vehicles may carry sirens, whistles or bells.
Every car needs a horn audible from 200 feet, but it may not make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. A separate rule bans sirens, whistles and bells on vehicles except as the statute allows. Air horns and train horns aren't named, so this is not an express ban, but a typical train horn likely fails the loudness rule. The horn may be used only when needed for safe driving.
Conditions
- Horn must not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle
- Horn may be used only when reasonably necessary for safe operation
What the law says
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway must be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet. However, the horn or other warning device must not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. ... (b) A vehicle must not be equipped with, and a person shall not use upon a vehicle, any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
Sources
- Minn. Stat. § 169.68 Official · revisor.mn.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Minnesota State Patrol
- Phone
- 651-201-7100
- Website
- dps.mn.gov
How bordering states compare
- Iowa Allowed with limitsIowa bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
- North Dakota Allowed with limitsNorth Dakota has no express train-horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
- South Dakota Allowed with limitsSouth Dakota bans exhaust horns, sirens and harsh whistles, and forbids unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds, but does not name air horns.
- Wisconsin Allowed with limitsWisconsin bans sirens and compression or exhaust whistles, and forbids unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds, but does not name air horns.