2025 Georgia Codes – Page 268

(a) It is unlawful for any person operating or occupying a motor vehicle on a street or highway to operate or
amplify the sound produced by a radio, tape player, or other mechanical sound-making device or instrument
from within the motor vehicle so that the sound is plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet or more from the
motor vehicle.
(b) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to any law enforcement motor vehicle equipped with
any communication device necessary in the performance of law enforcement duties or to any emergency
vehicle equipped with any communication device necessary in the performance of any emergency proce-
dures.
(c) The provisions of this Code section do not apply to motor vehicles used for business or political purposes,
which in the normal course of conducting such business use sound-making devices. The provisions of this
subsection shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and highways under their
jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power, from regulating the time and manner in
which such business may be operated.
(d) The provisions of this Code section do not apply to the noise made by a horn or other warning device
required or permitted by Code Section 40-8-70. The Department of Public Safety shall promulgate rules
defining “plainly audible” and establish standards regarding the measurement of sound by law enforcement
personnel.
(e) A violation of this Code section shall be a misdemeanor.

(a) Any person who knowingly drives a motor vehicle on any public road or highway of this state at a time
when the vehicle registration of such vehicle is suspended, canceled, or revoked shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor.
(b) Upon a first conviction thereof or a plea of nolo contendere, such person shall be punished by impris-
onment for not more than 12 months and there may be imposed in addition thereto a fine of not less than
$500.00 nor more than $1,000.00, at the discretion of the court.
(c) For a second or subsequent conviction within five years as measured from the dates of previous arrests
for which convictions were obtained or pleas of nolo contendere were accepted to the date of the current
arrest for which a conviction is obtained or a plea of nolo contendere accepted, such person shall be guilty
of a high and aggravated misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than ten days
nor more than 12 months and there may be imposed in addition thereto a fine of not less than $1,000.00 nor
more than $2,500.00.
(d) The Department of Revenue, upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person under this Code
section upon a charge of driving a vehicle while the registration of such vehicle was suspended or revoked,
shall extend the period of suspension or revocation for six months. The Department of Revenue may rein-
state the suspended or revoked vehicle registration following the expiration of the original suspension or
revocation period, the additional six-month suspension imposed pursuant to this subsection, and upon pay-
ment of a restoration fee of $210.00, or $200.00 when such reinstatement is processed by mail.
(e) For purposes of pleading nolo contendere, only one nolo contendere plea shall be accepted to a charge of
driving a motor vehicle with a suspended, canceled, or revoked vehicle registration within a five-year period
of time as measured from the date of the previous arrest for which a conviction was obtained or plea of nolo
contendere was accepted to the date of the current arrest. All other nolo contendere pleas within such period
of time shall be considered convictions.
(f) Notwithstanding the limits set forth in Article 14 of this chapter and in any municipal charter, any munici-
pal court of any municipality in this state shall be authorized to impose the punishment provided for in this
Code section upon a conviction of violating this Code section or upon conviction of violating any ordinance
adopting the provisions of this Code section.