You are here: Home > Noise > Motor vehicle noise > Reporting noisy exhaust

Reporting noise from motor vehicle exhaust

Why report?

The EPA is working to minimise community exposure to motor vehicle noise. By reporting noisy exhaust, you help ensure vehicle owners are made aware of the disturbance caused by their motor vehicles, understand the noise regulations and know what to do to repair the vehicle.

Information needed

For a noisy exhaust report to be complete, you will be required to provide the following information: 

• Your contact details
  You must provide your name and phone number when making a report, but these details will never be passed on to the owner of the vehicle. 
• Vehicle registration plate details
  The six-digit vehicle registration number and state of registration helps us locate the owner of the vehicle. Vehicles registered in NSW, ACT, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria can be reported. 
• Description of the vehicle
  Details about the vehicle such as make, model, colour and type help ensure the vehicle has been correctly identified. 
• Location
  Provide the street and suburb where the noisy vehicle was observed. 
• Date and time
  Reports must be submitted within 14 days of observing a noisy vehicle.

The EPA can only take action on reports of noisy vehicles where the source of the noise is the vehicle exhaust. For more information about reporting other types of noisy vehicles, contact Environment Line.

Safety first

Your health and safety are always more important than reporting a noisy vehicle. If you are driving, ask a passenger to record the details.

If recording the correct details affects your concentration or driving, wait until next time to report a noisy vehicle. If a noisy vehicle is on the road, it is only a matter of time before it is observed and reported by another member of the public, the police or an authorised officer.

After the report

The EPA will attempt to match the vehicle description provided in the report with the registration details. If the observed vehicle’s details are matched with a vehicle registration, the EPA will issue an advisory letter to the owner. It lets them know the vehicle must be checked and outlines the penalties associated with noisy exhaust. The EPA may take further action, depending on the vehicle's and/or vehicle owner’s history.

Legislation and enforcement

The Protection of the Environment (Noise Control) Regulation 2008 makes it an offence to use a vehicle on the road that emits excessive exhaust noise.

The Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 gives the EPA the authority to take action against vehicles with noisy or defective exhaust.

More information about motor vehicle noise legislation and enforcement

Frequently asked questions 

View all noisy exhaust FAQs