Exhaust rules: what changes in 2026 and 2027 (Euro 7, noise cameras, MOT)

Every date on this page comes from an official text or a manufacturer press release, read on 02/11/2026, and links to its source. If a date is not official, we do not publish it.

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Contents 11

1. The short answer.
2. The 2026 and 2027 timeline in one table.
3. ‘Valved exhausts banned from 2027?’ No, no published rule says so.
4. New-car noise: phase 3 and what is coming.
5. Euro 7: what it covers and what it does not.
6. Noise cameras and vehicle inspection, country by country.
7. The EU revision of roadworthiness testing.
8. The sports cars arriving, changing or bowing out.
9. What it changes for a Rog exhaust.
10. Frequently asked questions.
11. Method and sources.

The short answer.

• No published text bans valved exhausts in 2026 or 2027. The rule for replacement silencers on cars (UN Regulation No. 59, 03 series) has not changed since 25/09/2020. The much-discussed 2025 rule applies to motorcycles.
• Euro 7 applies to new models from 29/11/2026, then to all newly registered cars from 29/11/2027. It does not cover noise and does not apply to cars already on the road.
• New-car noise: since 01/07/2026, every new car registered in the EU meets phase 3 of Regulation (EU) No 540/2014, 68 to 72 dB(A) depending on power-to-mass ratio. New cars leave the factory quieter than before.
• Noise cameras: in France, the trial continues and no official date for fines has been published. Fines based on acoustic cameras are already being issued in Kensington and Chelsea (London) and in New York.
• MOT and vehicle inspection: the EU revision is still being negotiated and nothing has been adopted. Annual testing for cars over 10 years old, proposed by the Commission, was rejected by member states on 04/12/2025.
• Combustion-engined sports cars are becoming rarer: the Porsche 718 ended in October 2025, the Toyota GR Supra in spring 2026, the Alpine A110 on 01/07/2026 and the Honda Civic Type R in Europe in 2026; BMW has announced its electric M3 from 2027. Many of today's combustion-engined sports cars are the last of their line.

The 2026 and 2027 timeline in one table.

The official dates that affect a car's exhaust, from the oldest rule still in force to the most recent.

‘Valved exhausts banned from 2027?’ No, no published rule says so.

The rumour comes from a real rule, but it targets motorcycles. On 26/09/2025, the 03 series of UN Regulation No. 92 came into force for replacement silencers on two-wheelers: no louder than the original and harder to modify. For cars, the equivalent text is UN Regulation No. 59. Its 03 series has applied since 25/09/2020, and no amendment was adopted or proposed in 2025 or 2026.

This regulation covers silencers sold as replacement parts: on the move, a car fitted with one may exceed its original value by no more than 1 dB(A), and by no more than 2 dB(A) when stationary; a valved system also goes through off-cycle tests. It does not ban valves. A car with factory valves, such as a BMW M3 or a Mercedes-AMG A 45, keeps them, and a valved exhaust can still be ordered in 2026.

New-car noise: phase 3 and what is coming.

Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 sets noise limits for new cars in three phases. Phase 3 has applied to new types since 01/07/2024 and to all first registrations since 01/07/2026: 68 dB(A) for an ordinary car, 69 to 72 dB(A) for a sports car depending on its power-to-mass ratio. These values are measured at type approval, in a drive-by test of a new car. They do not apply to cars already registered: their value remains the one recorded at type approval (stationary noise appears in box U.1 on registration documents that show it).

Two texts are in the pipeline, neither of which changes the rules for cars already on the road:

• The ‘automotive omnibus’, proposed by the Commission on 16/12/2025: it would repeal Regulation 540/2014 and keep only UN Regulations No. 51, 59 and 138 for new-car noise. The text also mentions backfires and systems that amplify sound. It is a proposal: the Parliament vote is provisionally scheduled for 14/12/2026.
• Supplement 11 to UN Regulation No. 51, adopted in June 2026: exterior sound amplified through speakers is switched off at every start-up and can only be switched on by a deliberate action from the driver. Its application date has not yet been published. A UN working group is also preparing a real-driving noise measurement, with no official date.

Reading between the lines: the rules are making new cars quieter and reining in synthetic sound. The sound of an exhaust system, by contrast, stays mechanical: it comes from the engine and the pipe design, not from a speaker.

Euro 7: what it covers and what it does not.

Regulation (EU) 2024/1257, known as Euro 7, applies to new car types from 29/11/2026 and to all newly registered cars from 29/11/2027. No delay has been adopted or proposed for cars.

• What it covers: gaseous pollutants, also measured on the road, brake particles, tyre wear, battery durability, durability requirements extended to 200,000 km or 10 years, on-board emissions monitoring and anti-tampering measures.
• What it does not cover: noise, and cars that are already registered.
• Replacement catalytic converters: from 29/11/2026, a Euro 7 type-approved car can only take a Euro 7 type-approved replacement catalytic converter. Today's cars keep their current rules.

Manufacturers are already adapting their engines: since July 2026, BMW has been building the M3 and M4 with pre-chamber ignition (‘M Ignite’) to meet Euro 7 with no loss of power, and the M5's V8 dropped from 585 to 544 hp in March 2026, with total system output staying at 727 hp.

Noise cameras and vehicle inspection, country by country.

What is official as of 02/11/2026. Full details on cameras, thresholds and fines are in our country-by-country guide to noise cameras.

United Kingdom.

Noise cameras: the 2022 and 2023 national trial ended without fines. The London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, however, does issue fines, under a local Public Spaces Protection Order: its nine acoustic cameras led to 334 fines of £100 in August and September 2026. MOT: photos of the vehicle at test, rolled out nationally from 03/08/2026 and optional for now.

United States.

Noise cameras: New York City fines engine and muffler noise with 12 acoustic cameras (the city's 2025 annual report). Elsewhere, the rules depend on each state.

France.

Noise cameras: a trial under the Mobility Orientation Act (Article 92), with an 85 dB(A) threshold on roads limited to 50 km/h (order of 07/07/2023), in seven local authorities including Paris, Nice Côte d'Azur and Toulouse. No type approval of the devices has been published and no date for fines is official; the planned fine is €135. Inspection (contrôle technique): as of 01/01/2026, the only change is a re-test for cars subject to a ‘stop drive’ recall (Takata airbags). No change has been officially announced for 2027.

Belgium.

Noise cameras: Brussels Environment tested two cameras in 2023, ‘not for enforcement purposes’. No text allows noise to be fined automatically.

Switzerland.

Noise cameras: the Federal Council ruled them out on 12/12/2025 and recommends noise display boards; the motion calling for a legal basis was rejected by the National Council on 18/06/2026.

Germany.

Noise cameras (Lärmblitzer): no legal basis, according to the Bundestag's research services (06/11/2025); the Berlin trial in 2023 led to no penalties. Inspection (HU): the sticker is blue for tests due in 2026 and yellow for tests due in 2027, under Annex IX of the StVZO; no other official change has been announced.

Austria.

Noise cameras: we found no federal text providing for automatic fines for noise.

Netherlands.

Noise cameras (geluidsflitsers): on 13/03/2026, Rotterdam announced a trial of an acoustic camera; an officer reviews the footage, and warnings or penalties are future steps. Inspection (APK): no change to the requirements for cars in 2026; the RDW changed its fees and its garage recognition scheme on 01/01/2026.

Italy.

Noise cameras: no official trial. Inspection (revisione): since July 2026, test centres check whether the car is affected by the Takata airbag recall (Ministry of Infrastructure, 23/07/2026).

Spain.

Noise cameras: no national decision from the DGT. Inspection (ITV): version 7.9 of the inspection manual has applied since 01/01/2026, with no change for exhausts; the vehicle modifications manual was corrected in the BOE of 05/02/2026.

Poland.

Noise cameras: no text provides for them. Inspection (badanie techniczne): 149 zł for a car since 19/09/2025 (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1223); the reform reported in the press is only a draft.

The EU revision of roadworthiness testing.

On 24/04/2025, the Commission proposed revising Directive 2014/45/EU: annual testing for cars over 10 years old, measurement of particles and nitrogen oxides, recording of odometer readings, remote sensing of emissions and noise on the road, and penalties for tampering with emissions control systems. On 04/12/2025, member states rejected annual testing after 10 years. Parliament adopted its mandate on 21/05/2026 and negotiations are under way: as of 02/11/2026, nothing has been adopted and there is no application date.

The sports cars arriving, changing or bowing out.

Only what manufacturers have published. Spy shots and press rumours are left out: BMW, for example, has published nothing about a future combustion-engined M3.

What it means: in 2027, several combustion-engined sports cars will no longer be built, others will go electric, and those that remain will adapt their engines to Euro 7. Cars that are already registered keep their rules and their engines. Those are the cars Rog designs its exhaust systems for: all models by make.

What it changes for a Rog exhaust.

• Nothing new targets your car: the 2026 and 2027 texts concern new cars. A car that is already registered keeps its stationary noise value (box U.1) and its inspection rules.
• Valves closed, the exhaust stays discreet: you choose the factory valve control or the Rog remote, and the valves stay in the position you chose. For the MOT or vehicle inspection, take the car in with the valves closed.
• The catalytic converter stays in place: a cat-back system keeps the original catalytic converter; the front section comes with a 200 or 100 cpsi catalyst. The decat version is for track use only.
• A real sound, chosen before production: design, material, straight pipe or resonator at the same price, intensity from 1 to 10. The sound comes from the pipes, not from a speaker.
• Made to your VIN, delivered in 20 working days, with technical documentation on request. The outcome of the inspection is down to the tester in your country.

The rules in your country: United Kingdom (MOT) · Ireland (NCT) · United States · Canada · Australia.

Further reading: U.1 stationary noise level on the registration certificate · Changing your exhaust · Noise cameras and car noise enforcement in Europe · Which is the best exhaust brand for your car.

Frequently asked questions.

Will valved exhausts be banned in 2027?
No published text says so. UN Regulation No. 59, which covers replacement silencers for cars, has not changed since 25/09/2020. The rule that came into force on 26/09/2025 applies to motorcycles (UN Regulation No. 92).

Does Euro 7 affect my current car?
No. Euro 7 applies to new types from 29/11/2026 and to newly registered cars from 29/11/2027. It does not cover noise and does not apply to cars already on the road.

Are noise cameras already issuing fines?
Not in France: the trial continues, with no type-approved device and no official date for fines; the planned fine is €135. Fines based on acoustic cameras are already being issued in Kensington and Chelsea (London) and in New York.

Will vehicle inspection become annual across the EU for cars over 10 years old?
That is a Commission proposal dated 24/04/2025. Member states rejected it on 04/12/2025 and, as of 02/11/2026, the revision is still under negotiation: nothing has been adopted.

Should I wait until 2027 to buy an exhaust?
There is no regulatory reason to: no announced rule targets exhaust systems for cars already on the road. What is changing is the supply of new combustion-engined sports cars. Every Rog exhaust is made to the car's VIN and delivered in 20 working days.

Method and sources.

Official texts and manufacturer press releases read on 02/11/2026. Rumours, spy shots and dates reported by the press without official confirmation are excluded.

1. Noise: Regulation (EU) No 540/2014, UN No. 59, 03 series, UN No. 92, 03 series, UN No. 51, supplement 11, automotive omnibus, European Parliament
2. Euro 7: Regulation (EU) 2024/1257, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1706
3. EU roadworthiness testing: proposal COM(2025) 180, procedure in the European Parliament
4. France: French Ministry for the Ecological Transition, DREAL Centre-Val de Loire
5. Belgium, Switzerland, Germany: Brussels Environment, Swiss Parliament, Bundestag, StVZO, Annex IX
6. Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland: RDW, MIT, BOE, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1223
7. United Kingdom, United States: Kensington and Chelsea, DVSA, City of New York
8. Manufacturers: BMW M Ignite, BMW M5, BMW 3 Series, Electric BMW M, AMG A 45 S, AMG CLA 45, Audi RS 5, Golf GTI, 911 Turbo S, 911 GT3 S/C, Porsche 718, Porsche Macan, Toyota GR Supra, Honda Civic Type R, Alpine A110, Ferrari Amalfi