Public Conduct in Monterey, CA (2026)
7 verified public conduct rules for Monterey, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Aggressive Panhandling
Monterey bans aggressive begging or soliciting anywhere in public, defining aggressive conduct to include blocking a person's path, touching someone without consent, or persisting after being told no, and adds a flat 15-foot no-solicit buffer around banks and ATMs under § 22-4.
Monterey Aggressive Solicitation Ban
Significant RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 22-4
a.No person may solicit, ask or beg in an aggressive manner in any public place, which is defined to include but not be limited to any street, highway, sidewalk, parking lot, plaza, transportation facility, school, place of amusement, park, playground, beach, boardwalk, hiking or walking trail, designated open space area, and any doorway, entrance, hallway, lobby and other portion of any busine...
Public Urination
Monterey City Code § 22-15 makes it a criminal offense for anyone over age ten to urinate or defecate in any public place, in view of the public, or on someone else's private property without consent. The Monterey Police Department enforces the ban citywide, including Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf and downtown, and a violation defaults to a misdemeanor under the code's general penalty section.
Monterey Bans Public Urination and Defecation
Heavy RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 22-15
Sec. 22-15. Urinating and defecating in public prohibited. Prohibition of urination or defecation in public places, places open to public view, or on private property without consent of the owner. a.It is unlawful for any person over the age of ten (10) years to willfully and knowingly urinate or defecate in a public place other than a restroom or in a place open to public view, or upon the pri...
Skateboarding Rules
Monterey bans skateboards, roller skates and bicycles in any area the City Council posts with signage under § 22-12, and flatly outlaws skateboarding on the Recreation Trail between the head of Municipal Wharf No. 1 and the Pacific Grove city limit under § 22-14, plus reckless riding anywhere on the Trail.
Monterey Skateboard Restriction Rules
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code §§ 22-12, 22-14
In any area designated by resolution of the City Council, and signs are in place giving notice thereof, it shall be unlawful for any person to ride a bicycle or ride or propel roller skates, skateboards or similar non-motorized vehicles, on any sidewalk, street, mall, wharf, parking lot, parking garage, park, trail, or other public place. ... a.No person shall ride or propel a skateboard on the...
Loitering Rules
Monterey City Code § 22-16 bars two or more people from gathering in a way that blocks a street, sidewalk, alley or public way, and separately bars anyone from standing, sitting or loitering so as to obstruct passage or block a business entrance. Police officers can order a group to disperse, and refusing to move on is itself a separate violation.
Monterey's Loitering and Sidewalk-Blocking Ban
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 22-16
Sec. 22-16. Loitering. Whenever two or more persons gather together in such a manner as to obstruct the free passage of any street, sidewalk, alley, public way or place used by members of the public to go from place to place, such persons shall move on or disperse when ordered to do so by a police officer. No person shall refuse or fail to disperse or move on when directed to do so by a police ...
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
Monterey bans smoking, defined to include vaping and any plant product intended for human inhalation, on all beaches, the Recreation Trail, Municipal Wharves I and II, service areas, covered parking lots and inside any enclosed building open to the public under City Code § 22-29. Anyone who lights up in a covered spot is committing a public nuisance.
Monterey Public Smoking Ban
Significant RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 22-29
a. Definitions.The following words and phrases, whenever used in this section, shall be construed as defined in this section: ... 8.“Smoke” or “smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted, heated, or ignited pipe, cigar, cigarette, cigarillo, hookah, electronic smoking device, or any plant product intended for human inhalation, or any other similar combustibl...
Jaywalking
In a Monterey business district, § 20-63 requires pedestrians to cross the roadway only at a marked crosswalk. The Traffic Engineer establishes those crosswalks and can post signs barring pedestrians from crossing at a particular one under § 20-62.
Monterey Crosswalk-Crossing Requirement
Light RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 20-63
Sec. 20-63. Use of crosswalks required in certain areas. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than by a crosswalk in any business district.
Public Alcohol Use
Monterey bans drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol on any public street, park, plaza, sidewalk, wharf, pier or other public place under § 22-1, with narrow carve-outs for listed picnic areas in Chapter 23 and outdoor seating covered by an encroachment permit.
Monterey Open Container Ban
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 22-1
Except as permitted in certain picnic areas specifically listed in Chapter 23 of this code and outdoor seating areas as allowed by encroachment permit, no person shall consume any alcoholic beverage or have in their possession any open container of any alcoholic beverage upon any public street, park, greenbelt, plaza, sidewalk, alley, lane, wharf, pier, walkway, mall, or other public place in t...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Monterey city rules.
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