Speed cameras aren’t the only devices dishing out penalties in NYC—drivers also have to worry about noise violations.
Local Law 7 of 2024 requires New York City to use noise cameras—run by the Department of Environmental Protection—to catch vehicles with engines or mufflers that are too loud, leading to a decreased quality of life and public health concern about sleep deprivation and hearing loss.
How do NYC’s noise cameras work?
Utilizing an array of microphones, as well as a panoramic (“fisheye”) camera and a license plate reader, NYC’s noise cameras detect when a noise threshold is exceeded and pinpoint the exact source using a visual marker. Additionally, the captured license plate image allows the DEP to identify the vehicle owner and issue a summons for excessive engine or muffler noise.
Where are the noise cameras located?
A current location list of noise cameras has not been released to the public.
The noise cameras rotated through areas including: the Bronx (Bailey Avenue), Inwood (Fort George Avenue/Hillside Ave), Harlem (St. Nicholas Avenue), the Upper West Side (West 65th Street), Murray Hill (East 36th Street), Midtown (West 41st Street), Long Island City (Borden Avenue, 20th Avenue), Flushing (Horace Harding Expressway), Brighton Beach (Ocean Parkway), and Bay Ridge (3rd Avenue, Shore Road) in Brooklyn.
The areas listed are sourced from the program’s annual report, which confirms that none of these camera locations remain active.
How much is the fine?
Over recent years, noise cameras have been strategically placed throughout the city to identify vehicles exceeding the New York City Noise Code’s limits (over 85 decibels), allowing the DEP to issue summonses to those drivers. These fines can range anywhere between $800-$2,500, depending if someone is a repeat offender.
In 2024, $462,000 in penalties were imposed, but only $113,000 was paid. In 2023, New Yorkers faced $512,000 in penalties, with just $202,000 actually paid.
The city’s most recent Annual Report for Noise Camera Enforcement Program outlines that the DEP is working alongside the Law Department to improve penalty collection.
Expanding the noise camera program
According to Local Law 7, the DEP must install at least five noise cameras across each borough by the end of this month (September 2025). However, due to limited funding, DEP has not been able to expand the program to meet this requirement.