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Engine Brake Laws No. NH Local / posted

New Hampshire Engine & Jake Brake Rules

No statewide engine-brake ban. Your truck needs a muffler in good order, no cutout or bypass, and no straight pipe (RSA 266:59). Straight-pipe exhaust runs $100, then $250, then $500 for repeat offenses in a year. Posted 'no engine brake' zones sit in the White Mountains and resort towns: Lincoln and Woodstock, Franconia, descents feeding I-93 and Route 3, plus lake-region towns. Those signs are local ordinances. Use the engine brake where nothing's posted.

Ban scopeLocal / posted
Muffler lawYes (the legal hook)
Where postedWhite Mountains and resort towns: Lincoln and Woodstock, Franconia, descents feeding I-93 and Route 3, plus lake-region resort towns
FineLocal noise-ordinance citation for a posted zone
01 The rule

How New Hampshire handles engine braking

No statewide engine-brake ban. Your truck needs a muffler in good order, no cutout or bypass, and no straight pipe (RSA 266:59). Straight-pipe exhaust runs $100, then $250, then $500 for repeat offenses in a year. Posted 'no engine brake' zones sit in the White Mountains and resort towns: Lincoln and Woodstock, Franconia, descents feeding I-93 and Route 3, plus lake-region towns. Those signs are local ordinances. Use the engine brake where nothing's posted.

02 On the road

What to watch for

New Hampshire Engine Brake FAQ

Are engine brakes banned in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has no statewide ban. The restriction is local and posted on "NO ENGINE BRAKE" signs. No statewide engine-brake ban.
Where are the "NO ENGINE BRAKE" signs in New Hampshire?
White Mountains and resort towns: Lincoln and Woodstock, Franconia, descents feeding I-93 and Route 3, plus lake-region resort towns. The signs are local ordinances. Enforcement is local and concentrated on descents into town.
What is the fine for using an engine brake where it is banned in New Hampshire?
Local noise-ordinance citation for a posted zone. Unmuffled straight-pipe exhaust carries escalating state fines of not less than $100, then $250, then $500 for repeat offenses in a calendar year (RSA 266:59).

Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/xxi/266/266-59.htm. See our Terms & Disclaimer.

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