An Act amending Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in other required equipment, further providing for exhaust systems, mufflers and noise control; in inspection of vehicles, further providing for suspension of certificates of appointment; in snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, further providing for mufflers and sound control; imposing penalties; and making editorial changes.

PRINTER'S NO. 1757
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1502
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, GALLAGHER, HILL-EVANS, BRENNAN,
DOUGHERTY, T. DAVIS AND SANCHEZ, MAY 27, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MAY 28, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 75
(Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in
other required equipment, further providing for exhaust
systems, mufflers and noise control; in inspection of
vehicles, further providing for suspension of certificates of
appointment; in snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, further
providing for mufflers and sound control; imposing penalties;
and making editorial changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 933(a)(1)(ii) of Title 42 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
§ 933. Appeals from government agencies.
(a) General rule.--Except as otherwise prescribed by any
general rule adopted pursuant to section 503 (relating to
reassignment of matters), each court of common pleas shall have
jurisdiction of appeals from final orders of government agencies
in the following cases:
(1) Appeals from Commonwealth agencies in the following
cases:
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(ii) Determinations of the Department of
Transportation appealable under the following provisions
of Title 75 (relating to vehicles):
Section 1377 (relating to judicial review).
Section 1550 (relating to judicial review).
Section 4724(b) (relating to [judicial review)]
revocation, suspension, denial or nonrenewal of
certificates of appointment).
Section 7303(b) (relating to [judicial review)]
suspension of authorization).
Section 7503(b) (relating to judicial review).
Except as otherwise prescribed by general rules, the
venue shall be in the county of the principal place of
business of any salvor or messenger service, the location
of any inspection station involved, the county where the
arrest for a violation of 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802 (relating to
driving under influence of alcohol or controlled
substance) was made in appeals involving the suspension
of operating privileges under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1547 (relating
to chemical testing to determine amount of alcohol or
controlled substance) or the residence of any individual
appellant where the venue is not otherwise fixed by this
sentence. In the case of a nonresident individual venue,
except as otherwise prescribed by general rules, shall be
in the county in which the offense giving rise to the
recall, cancellation, suspension or revocation of
operating privileges occurred.
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Section 2. Section 4523 of Title 75 is amended by adding
subsections to read:
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§ 4523. Exhaust systems, mufflers and noise control.
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(f) Unauthorized sale, installation or operation of modified
mufflers and related equipment prohibited.--
(1) A person may not sell, offer for sale, install,
equip or operate:
(i) The muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle
with a cut-out, bypass or a similar device that amplifies
or increases the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust
system originally installed on the vehicle.
(ii) A motorcycle exhaust device without internal
baffles, known as straight pipes.
(iii) A motorcycle exhaust device that is
intentionally designed to allow for the internal baffling
to be fully or partially removed or interchangeable or
that has been modified in a manner that amplifies or
increases the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust
system originally installed on the motorcycle. This
subparagraph shall not apply to a motorcycle manufactured
or assembled before January 1, 1979, any competition
motorcycle as defined in 40 CFR 205.151 (relating to
definitions) or exempted under 40 CFR 1068.235 (relating
to exempting nonroad engines/equipment used solely for
competition) or any aftermarket exhaust system or muffler
that is compliant with Federal requirements or 75 Pa.C.S.
§ 7743 (relating to mufflers and sound control).
(2) A motor vehicle that is operated or equipped with an
exhaust system or muffler in violation of this section shall
fail a safety inspection at a licensed Official Inspection
Station.
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(3) A person violating the provisions of this subsection
commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be
sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 or to undergo
imprisonment for not more than 30 days.
(g) Enforcement and training.--The department, in
consultation with the Pennsylvania State Police and relevant
State agencies, shall develop and implement training materials
and procedures for law enforcement officers and licensed safety
inspection personnel to identify noncompliant exhaust systems.
The procedures may include visual inspection standards,
reference recordings of factory exhaust systems and the use of
approved mobile sound meter applications.
(h) Noncompliant systems installed outside this
Commonwealth.--It shall be unlawful to operate or equip a motor
vehicle in this Commonwealth with an exhaust system or muffler
that violates this section, regardless of whether the system was
installed within or outside this Commonwealth or prior to the
current owner's acquisition of the vehicle.
(i) Audibility standard.--A motor vehicle shall be deemed to
be in violation of subsection (a) if the exhaust system emits
sound clearly audible at a distance of 200 feet or more under
normal road conditions. The department shall establish specific
procedures and criteria for enforcement of this subsection by
regulation.
Section 3. Section 4724 heading, (a) and (b) of Title 75 are
amended to read:
§ 4724. [Suspension] Revocation, suspension, denial or
nonrenewal of certificates of appointment.
(a) General rule.--
(1) The department shall supervise and inspect official
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inspection stations and may revoke, suspend or refuse to
renew the certificate of appointment issued to a station or
may impose a monetary penalty or may issue a warning against
the station which it finds is not properly equipped or
conducted or which has violated or failed to comply with any
of the provisions of this chapter or regulations adopted by
the department.
(2) The department shall revoke, suspend or refuse to
renew the certificate of appointment for an inspection
station upon a third or subsequent violation, within a period
of 18 months, of a regulation requiring the inspection
station to inspect the muffler or exhaust system of a motor
vehicle for the purpose of compliance with section 4523
(relating to exhaust systems, mufflers and noise control).
The department shall attribute a violation of section 4523 by
an employee of an inspection station, garage or repair shop
to the station, garage or repair shop. A fine paid under
section 4523 shall be in addition to, but not in lieu of, a
monetary penalty, revocation, suspension or nonrenewal of a
certificate of appointment imposed under this chapter.
(3) A schedule of all penalties, points and suspension
may be established by the department by publishing a notice
in the Pennsylvania Bulletin until the regulations governing
these penalties are promulgated by the department. The
department shall maintain a list of all stations holding
certificates of appointment and of those whose certificates
of appointment have been revoked, suspended or not renewed.
Any revoked, suspended or not renewed certificate of
appointment and all unused certificates of inspection shall
be returned immediately to the department.
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(b) Judicial review.--Any person whose mechanic certificate
issued under section 4726 (relating to certification of
mechanics) or certificate of appointment has been denied [or],
revoked, suspended or not renewed or who has received a monetary
penalty under this chapter shall have the right to appeal to the
court vested with jurisdiction of such appeals by or pursuant to
Title 42 (relating to judiciary and judicial procedure). The
court shall set the matter for hearing upon 60 days' written
notice to the department and take testimony and examine into the
facts of the case and determine whether the petitioner is
entitled to a mechanic certificate or certificate of appointment
or is subject to revocation, suspension or nonrenewal or a
monetary penalty under the provisions of this chapter.
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Section 4. Section 7743 of Title 75 is amended by adding a
subsection to read:
§ 7743. Mufflers and sound control.
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(d) Penalties.--A person who violates this section commits a
summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay
a fine of not more than $1,000 or to be imprisoned for not more
than 30 days, or both.
Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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