What is the current state law regarding vessel sound levels in Florida?
Vessel exhaust and sound level restrictions are found in two distinct sections of Chapter 327.65, Florida Statutes. The first section relates only to vessel exhaust and requires the exhaust of internal combustion engines used on vessels to be “effectively muffled in a reasonable manner”. The second section provides ordinance language for counties wishing to impose additional noise pollution and exhaust regulations to restrict vessel sound levels to 90 decibels at 50 feet. To recap, the first section applies statewide and only to the exhaust of vessels. The second only applies vessel decibel limits within those counties that adopt the language by ordinance.
