To combat disturbances caused by noisy vehicles and protect residents’ quality of life, the Taoyuan City Government has launched a cross-departmental enforcement program. Led by the Department of Environmental Protection (TYDEP) in coordination with the Police Department and Motor Vehicles Office, the initiative targets illegally modified exhaust systems and high-noise vehicles. Recently, Taoyuan issued the nation’s first license plate suspension penalty for a repeat noisy vehicle, demonstrating the results of legislative reform and technology-based enforcement.
Deputy Mayor Su Chun-Pin stated that noisy vehicles—particularly those involved in street racing—have long disrupted public peace and negatively impacted social perception. He noted that previous penalties were too lenient to serve as a sufficient deterrent. Su has repeatedly raised this issue at Executive Yuan meetings, emphasizing that penalties under the Noise Control Act must align with the principle of proportionality and should be strengthened through source-level management and stricter enforcement. Following local recommendations and support from the Legislative Yuan, amendments to the Noise Control Act were passed in the third reading last December. The revised law significantly increases fines and mandates a six-month license plate suspension for repeat offenders within a single year.
According to TYDEP, the nation’s first license plate suspension case was carried out under the new law through the joint enforcement mechanism. The vehicle in question was first flagged in early January for illegal exhaust modification and excessive noise. Despite the initial penalty, the owner failed to rectify the issue. During a subsequent inspection in March, the vehicle again exceeded noise limits, triggering the mandatory suspension under the newly amended law and resulting in the first license plate suspension penalty of its kind nationwide.
TYDEP further noted that in recent years, the City has introduced AI-based identification and acoustic fingerprint analysis technologies to improve detection accuracy. In coordination with local police, real-time inspection has significantly enhanced enforcement efficiency, leading to a 38% decrease in public complaints compared to the pre-initiative period. Moving forward, the City will intensify patrols and roadside inspections in key areas and during high-risk periods. For illegally modified vehicles, authorities will work closely with the Motor Vehicles Office to impose license plate suspension or revocation, requiring full compliance before re-registration is permitted.
TYDEP urges vehicle owners to avoid illegal modifications and high-noise activities to escape legal penalties. The City Government will continue advancing cross-department integration and technology-driven enforcement from source management to roadside intervention, creating a quieter and more livable urban environment.