Drivers with illegally loud exhaust systems will face automated citations in Fairfax County starting in early 2027.

The Board of Supervisors voted to launch a 90-day pilot program that will use microphone arrays and high-definition cameras to identify vehicles exceeding 95 decibels, the Fairfax County Times reported. The devices, supplied by Blue Line Solutions, will be installed at two locations: Westpark Drive in Tysons and Richmond Highway in Hybla Valley.

Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, who represents McLean, said his office has received numerous complaints about modified mufflers. "Piloting technology that captures a violation with a speed or red light camera could go a long way to reducing the number of out-of-code vehicles on the road," Bierman said.

The Board received a briefing on the pilot at its Sept. 22 Public Safety Committee meeting.

How it works

Each monitoring station will use a four-point "halo" microphone to pinpoint a noise source's location and a fifth microphone to measure sound pressure levels. Two separate HD cameras will record passing vehicles, producing what the county described as double-blind evidence. A red reticle will mark the offending vehicle on video, timestamped for court use.

Every noise reading goes through two layers of review. Blue Line Solutions screens the data first. A sworn Fairfax County Police officer then reviews it before any citation is issued.

The first 30 days of the pilot will be a warning-only period. Citations begin in the following 60 days. Fines max out at $100 per violation and will not be reported to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles or insurance companies.

Data-ethics concerns

Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez, who noted that county police issued 1,185 citations for loud or altered exhausts in 2025, said he would be watching data safeguards closely. Jimenez said his focus is on how audio and video evidence is stored, who can access it and whether it stays limited to noise enforcement.

Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity pointed to a 2022 state law, HB 5029, that made noisy-muffler violations a secondary offense. That change meant police could no longer pull over a vehicle for exhaust noise alone, which Herrity said worsened the problem.

State authorization

The pilot is authorized by HB55, legislation introduced by Del. Rip Sullivan and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. The law grants Fairfax and other Virginia localities a two-year window to test automated noise detection. If the General Assembly does not extend that authority, the program must end by June 30, 2028.

As FFXnow reported July 20, the Board unanimously voted July 14 to direct County Executive Bryan Hill to develop a timeline for the pilot. Board Chairman Jeff McKay said at that meeting that "officers cannot be everywhere at once."

HB55 requires conspicuous signage within 1,000 feet of any monitoring device and requires the county to publish device locations online. Fine revenue must go toward program costs or transportation safety initiatives.

A previous version of the bill was vetoed in 2025 by then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who argued it would create inconsistent enforcement across Virginia. No specific start date within early 2027 has been announced.