New Hampshire: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
New Hampshire requires a suitable horn but sets no state limit on horn loudness or type, and bans only sirens.
State law requires a 'suitable and adequate horn or other device for signaling' and bans sirens on non-emergency vehicles. No state statute was found that limits horn loudness, bans whistles or air horns, or bans extra horns, and inspection rules only check that the horn works and can be heard from 200 feet. Whether a train horn counts as 'suitable' isn't defined. Many New Hampshire towns have noise ordinances that limit horn use.
What the law says
Every motor vehicle driven on the ways of this state shall be provided with a muffler, a suitable and adequate horn or other device for signaling, and suitable lamps.
Sources
- N.H. RSA 266:54 Official · gc.nh.gov
- N.H. RSA 266:73 (sirens) Official · gc.nh.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- New Hampshire State Police
- Website
- nhsp.dos.nh.gov
How bordering states compare
- Maine No state limit foundMaine requires an adequate horn but sets no loudness or type limit; only bells and sirens are banned on ordinary vehicles.
- Massachusetts Allowed with limitsMassachusetts has no train horn ban, but sounding any horn to make a harsh, objectionable or unreasonable noise is illegal.
- Vermont No state limit foundVermont requires a working horn used only as a warning, but no state limit on horn loudness or type was found.
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