Cheyenne Wyoming Puts The Brakes On Loud Pipes: New Noise Law Rumbles Ahead

On August 12, 2025, Cheyenne’s City Council took aim at the automotive community, not at speeders, but at sound, as it revved up a proposed ordinance targeting noisy vehicles and mufflers gone wild.

Councilors Michelle Aldrich, Mark Moody, and Tom Segrave are steering an updated vehicle‑noise code toward a committee. The goal? Replace the old rulebook with a sharper, graduated‑penalty system. Under the proposed law, police would be empowered to decide whether a vehicle’s noise crosses the line into “unreasonable.” Factors include time of day, location, driving behavior, and tweaks like aftermarket mufflers or booming stereo systems.

First‑time offenders could face fines between $100 and $200. Come back for more noise within 12 months? You’re looking at $250–$300. A third strike in a year could mean $400–$500 in fines, and even up to six months in jail.

Cheyenne: The case for quiet, and the case for the roar

Public sentiment hits both ends of the spectrum. Some residents, fed up with rattling mufflers and boomy pickups, see this as a sensible crackdown. Others, especially spirited car and motorcycle enthusiasts, see it as a slippery slope toward curbs on freedom of expression on four (or two) wheels.

One local posted in a Change.org petition, “Wyoming isn’t some packed‑in city where noise bounces off every building—we’re a small state with wide‑open skies… Cars, trucks, and the people who build and drive them are part of our culture, our community, and our identity.” Another commented, in defense of louder bikes: “With the ever-growing amount of distracted and elderly drivers… just going out for a cruise around town turns into a gamble…”

A wider effort across the state?

State law already requires that every motor vehicle be equipped with a muffler or noise‑suppression system in good working order at all times. Muffler cut‑outs, bypasses, or similar devices are forbidden, and engines must not emit excessive smoke or fumes. Cheyenne’s version would make these rules enforceable at a local, next‑level intensity, with the boots (or sirens?) behind it.

Technological upgrades could be coming to the fight against noise. Cow­boy S­tate Daily reports that sound‑camera systems, similar to those capturing red‑light runners in big cities like New York, could be deployed to catch noisy drivers in the act. Imagine speeding fines, but for sound levels—not MPG. Hollywood car chases just went stealth.

This isn’t a done deal. The proposed ordinance has been sent to Cheyenne’s Public Services Committee for further review.