North Dakota: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
North Dakota has no express train-horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
North Dakota follows the standard rule: every car needs a horn audible from 200 feet, but no horn or warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. A typical train horn likely fails that limit. Sirens, whistles and bells are banned except on authorized emergency vehicles. Drivers may sound a horn only when reasonably needed for safety.
Conditions
- Horn may not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle
- No siren, whistle or bell on non-emergency vehicles
- Horn use only when reasonably necessary for safe operation
What the law says
While being operated upon a highway, every motor vehicle 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 two hundred feet [60.96 meters], 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 upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
Sources
- N.D. Cent. Code § 39-21-36 Official · ndlegis.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- North Dakota Highway Patrol
- Phone
- 701-328-2447
- Website
- statepatrol.nd.gov
How bordering states compare
- Minnesota Allowed with limitsMinnesota bars horns that are unreasonably loud or harsh or that whistle, and only emergency vehicles may carry sirens, whistles or bells.
- Montana Allowed with limitsMontana bars any horn from making an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a train horn likely breaks.
- 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.
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