Public Conduct in Bessemer, AL (2026)
4 verified public conduct rules for Bessemer, Alabama, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Loitering Rules
Bessemer's general loitering rule is narrow: Code of Ordinances § 78-129 only bans loitering or congregating at a police line or checkpoint after officers order people to disperse. The chief of police can set up such a line during civil emergencies or disturbances under section 78-127, and refusing to leave is a separate offense.
Bessemer Police Checkpoint Loitering Ban
Light RestrictionsBessemer Code of Ordinances § 78-129(c)-(d)
(c)No person shall congregate in the vicinity of the line or checkpoint and refuse to disperse and leave after being ordered to do so by any police officer, firefighter or other law enforcement officer at the line or checkpoint.(d)No person shall remain at or loiter at or in the vicinity of any such line or checkpoint after having been requested to depart by any police officer, firefighter or o...
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
Bessemer's smoke-free ordinance reaches outdoors too. Code of Ordinances § 62-108 bans smoking within ten feet of doors and vents of smoke-free buildings and within 20 feet of restaurant patios, outdoor arenas, bleachers, and public transit platforms, with violators facing a misdemeanor fine under section 62-114.
Bessemer Outdoor Public Smoking Buffer
Significant RestrictionsBessemer Code of Ordinances § 62-108
Smoking shall be prohibited in the following outdoor places:(1)Within a reasonable distance of ten feet outside entrances, operable windows, and ventilation systems of enclosed areas where smoking is prohibited, so as to prevent tobacco smoke from entering those areas.(2)In, and within 20 feet of, outdoor seating or serving areas of restaurants and restaurant bars.(3)In all outdoor arenas, stad...
Jaywalking
In Bessemer's business district, pedestrians can only cross a street at an intersection, at a right angle, and within the sidewalk lines extended across it. Crossing mid-block or diagonally in that zone violates section 106-5, a rule that applies only downtown, not citywide.
Bessemer Business District Crosswalk Requirement
Some RestrictionsBessemer Code of Ordinances § 106-5
No pedestrian shall cross any street within the business district of the city, except and unless he crosses at an intersection, at a right angle to such street, and within the sidewalk lines of such street extended across such intersection.
Public Alcohol Use
Bessemer bars anyone from drinking an intoxicating beverage in a public place unless it is on the licensed premises where that particular beverage was bought, under City Code Section 6-13. The same section stops any business owner, manager or employee from letting a customer drink a beverage the business isn't licensed to sell, even on-site. General misdemeanor penalties apply to violators.
Bessemer's Public Alcohol Consumption Ban
Some RestrictionsBessemer Code of Ordinances § 6-13
(a)No person shall consume or drink any intoxicating beverage in any public place other than on the premises where purchased and for which a license has been procured by the proprietor thereof for the sale of that particular type of beverage.(b)No proprietor, owner, manager, or person in charge of any business shall allow any person to drink any intoxicating beverage on his premises, other than...
Looking for Jefferson County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bessemer city rules.
Public Conduct in Jefferson County →