This article is about French rules on vehicle noise. It matters to anyone riding in France, whether on holiday with a foreign-registered bike or living there. Since 2022 France has been testing noise radars, radars sonores, designed to catch loud vehicles automatically, much like a speed camera. Riders read conflicting claims: some say the radars already issue fines, others that the project was dropped. Here is what the French Ministry for Ecological Transition says about the current status, what the 85 dB(A) limit applies to, what a violation costs and what the law says about a modified exhaust. All information as of November 2026.
In short
- Noise radars: still a trial. According to the ministry (page updated 16 December 2025), no device has the required approval yet, so there are no automatic fines.
- Limit: 85 dB(A) for motor vehicles in built-up areas on roads with a limit of 50 km/h or less, measured while driving.
- Fine: noise offences are 4th-class contraventions, usually 135 euros.
- Exhaust: any work that removes the silencer or reduces its effect is prohibited. Police can immobilise the vehicle.
- Checks with handheld meters by officers are possible regardless of the radars.
Who this applies to
The rules apply to everyone riding in France, including on a bike registered in Germany, the UK or anywhere else. Whether your exhaust is legal at home also depends on approval in your own country; for Germany, see our article on motorcycle exhaust approval.
Radar sonore: a trial, not a rollout
The basis is Article 92 of the 2019 mobility law (LOM), which allowed a two-year trial with fixed and mobile devices. In January 2022 the state launched it with seven volunteer local authorities:
- Urban: Nice-Côte d'Azur metropolitan area, City of Paris, Toulouse metropolitan area
- Suburban: Bron, Villeneuve-le-Roi, Rueil-Malmaison
- Rural: Haute Vallée de Chevreuse community of communes
Two phases were planned. Phase 1, in the first half of 2022, ran without enforcement: it tested the sound measurement, plate recognition and secure data transfer. Phase 2 was to bring real fines once the devices had legal metrology approval. That did not happen within the two years.
On the current status, the ministry says (update of 16 December 2025) that two manufacturers are undergoing approval tests at the national metrology laboratory LNE. Without this approval, a radar reading cannot support an official report. The legal framework also still has to be completed, notably on data protection; the data protection authority CNIL was to be consulted. The page mentioned the second half of 2025 as a possible approval date. We found no newer official announcement that approval has been granted.
How open the matter remains is shown by a written question in the National Assembly, published on 6 October 2026, asking the transport minister for a timetable for approval and for the start of automatic enforcement. As of 13 November 2026, the government's answer had not been published.
The City of Paris reported (update of December 2024) two trial devices, on rue d'Avron in the 20th and rue Cardinet in the 17th arrondissement.
Press report, secondary source: according to the motoring site Motorsactu (9 July 2026), the Métropole du Grand Paris is installing "educational" noise displays in 27 municipalities that show noise levels without issuing fines. Approval tests reportedly started at the end of 2025, with approval expected during 2026. This is a press report, not official information.
What the 85 dB(A) means
An order of 7 July 2023 sets 85 dB(A) as the noise level motor vehicles must respect on roads in built-up areas with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less. This limit is intended for the noise radars. There are exceptions depending on vehicle category and date of first registration.
Important: the 85 dB(A) is a pass-by measurement on a moving vehicle. The ministry says it cannot be compared with the figure in your vehicle documents, which is a stationary noise value measured close to the exhaust. A bike with 94 dB in its papers is therefore not automatically too loud. How stationary noise is measured and where it matters for riding bans is explained in our article on motorcycle stationary noise.
Once radars do enforce, the control zones will be signed with the usual sign for automated checks (type SR3d) and an extra panel reading "Bruit".
Fines for excessive noise
The noise rules are in Article R318-3 of the French Highway Code (Code de la route). Since decree no. 2022-1 of 3 January 2022, it also covers the limit for moving vehicles. Like every breach of this article, excessive noise is a 4th-class contravention. The ministry gives these amounts:
| Level | Amount |
|---|---|
| reduced, paid within 15 days | €90 |
| standard fixed penalty (amende forfaitaire) | €135 |
| increased, after more than 60 days | €375 |
| maximum in court | €750 |
Paying online adds 15 days to the deadline. The ministry's page does not say whether penalty points apply.
Tampered exhaust: what is prohibited
Article R318-3 sets three requirements:
- The vehicle must not make noise likely to disturb other road users.
- The engine must have a working silencer that the rider cannot switch off.
- Any work that removes the silencer or reduces its effectiveness is prohibited.
On our reading of the wording, this covers for example a gutted silencer, a removed dB killer or an exhaust valve that lets you bypass the silencer while riding. Again this is a 4th-class offence, so usually 135 euros. Police may also immobilise the vehicle under Articles L325-1 to L325-3 of the Code de la route.
In Paris, according to the city, municipal police officers with handheld sound level meters can already fine vehicles that are too loud. A loud exhaust can therefore cost you even without a radar.
What this means for you
According to the ministry, the noise radars target vehicles that are excessively loud because of illegal modifications or abnormal riding. If you ride steadily through a town with an approved exhaust, you are not the target. What happens to French fines once you are home is covered in our article on foreign traffic fines. Other French rules, such as compulsory gloves and reflective helmet stickers, are in our guide to motorcycle rules in France. If you stop in the capital, see our article on motorcycle parking in Paris.
Frequently asked questions
Are French noise radars already issuing fines?
According to the official sources we could find, no. As of December 2025, the ministry describes a trial without approved devices. Without approval there is no automatic enforcement.
Which roads does the 85 dB(A) limit apply to?
Roads in built-up areas with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less. The measurement is taken on the moving vehicle. There are exceptions depending on category and first registration date.
Is my bike too loud if its papers show more than 85 dB?
Not necessarily. The figure in the papers is a stationary value; the 85 dB(A) applies to a pass-by measurement. The ministry stresses that the two cannot be compared.
What is the fine for a loud exhaust in France?
It is a 4th-class contravention: usually 135 euros, 90 euros if paid quickly, up to 750 euros in court. The vehicle may also be immobilised.
Sources
- Expérimentation des radars sonores, updated 16/12/2025 (French Ministry for Ecological Transition, in French)
- Code de la route, Article R318-3, in force since 05/01/2022 (Légifrance, in French)
- Paris expérimente ses premiers radars sonores, updated 12/12/2024 (City of Paris, in French)
- Written question no. 18780 on noise radars, published 06/10/2026 (National Assembly, in French)
- Les premiers radars sonores sont installés, 09/07/2026 (Motorsactu, press, secondary source, in French)
Last checked: November 2026. The status of the noise radars may change at any time.
