Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

How do you make a car louder legally?

What are some ways that I can make my car louder legally? I live in California, and there are laws about how loud your car can be. I want to make mine louder, but I don’t want to make it so loud that I get into trouble.

avatar
Liz Jenson · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Loud cars can be fun to drive—but you should still keep it within reason. Here are a few ways that you can legally
make your car louder
in California:
  • While you can’t remove your muffler entirely, you can get a smaller muffler to make your car engine louder.
  • You can also get a larger engine to produce more noise. This is a more expensive way to go, but it certainly works.
  • You can legally install an aftermarket exhaust system as long as it does not cause your car to exceed 95-decibels.
In general, you should be okay as long as you don’t exceed 95-decibels of noise when driving. To put that in perspective, 95 decibels is about as loud as a revving motorcycle engine.
Since you’re already taking the time to modify your car, take an extra minute to make sure you’re getting the best rate on the coverage you need with
Jerry
. A licensed broker, the Jerry app can help you compare personalized quotes from over 50 top providers like Progressive and Nationwide for free. When you find a better plan, Jerry can help you buy your new coverage and even help cancel your old policy!
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings