North Carolina: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
North Carolina has no express train-horn ban, but making unreasonably loud or harsh sounds with a horn is illegal.
North Carolina requires a working horn audible from 200 feet. It is unlawful to use a horn except as a reasonable warning, or to make any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound with a horn or other warning device, so sounding a typical train horn on the road likely breaks the law. The same section bans sirens and compression or spark plug whistles on vehicles other than listed emergency and official vehicles. Horns must also meet any rules set by the DMV Commissioner.
Conditions
- No unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds
- No siren or compression or spark plug whistle on non-emergency vehicles
- Horn must meet DMV Commissioner regulations
What the law says
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet, and it shall be unlawful, except as otherwise provided in this section, for any vehicle to be equipped with or for any person to use upon a vehicle any siren, compression or spark plug whistle or for any person at any time to use a horn otherwise than as a reasonable warning or to make any unnecessary or unreasonable loud or harsh sound by means of a horn or other warning device.
Sources
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-125(a) Official · ncleg.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles
- Phone
- (919) 715-7000
- Website
- ncdot.gov
How bordering states compare
- Georgia Allowed with limitsGeorgia has no train horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
- South Carolina Allowed with limitsSouth Carolina has no express train-horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle.
- Tennessee Allowed with limitsTennessee bans sirens and exhaust, compression or spark plug whistles, and forbids unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds, without naming air horns.
- 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.
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