Public Conduct in Chatham County, GA (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated Chatham County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Aggressive Panhandling
Chatham County bans begging outright in specific public spaces: Sec. 11-105 makes it unlawful to beg or solicit money or aid for yourself at any place of business, house of worship, street, sidewalk or county right-of-way. There's no carve-out for a polite ask versus an aggressive one; the ordinance bars solicitation in those locations regardless of manner, enforced countywide outside city limits.
Begging Ban in Chatham County, GA
Heavy RestrictionsCode of Chatham County Sec. 11-105
It shall be unlawful for any person to beg or solicit money or aid in his own behalf at any place of business, house or worship or upon any of the street, sidewalk or right of way of the County.
Public Urination
Chatham County's disorderly conduct ordinance bans defecating or urinating on any street, lane or sidewalk in the unincorporated county, plus building halls, elevators, parks, playgrounds or any property open to public view. It's one clause inside the broader Sec. 11-101 disorderly conduct list, enforced by the Chatham County Police Department, and carries the code's general penalty since the section names no fine of its own.
Public Urination Ban in Chatham County, GA
Heavy RestrictionsCode of Chatham County Sec. 11-101(g)
It shall be unlawful for any person within the unincorporated area of the County to: ... g. Defecate or urinate on streets, lanes or sidewalks or in the halls or elevators of public or commercial buildings or in any park or playground or on any property open to public view;
Loitering Rules
Chatham County makes loitering or prowling a crime when someone is in a place, at a time, or acting in a manner unusual for law-abiding people, under circumstances creating a real, justified alarm about safety of persons or property nearby. Sec. 11-103 requires an officer to first ask the person to identify themselves and explain their presence, and bars conviction if that step was skipped or the explanation was true.
Loitering Law in Chatham County, GA
Significant RestrictionsCode of Chatham County Sec. 11-103
A person commits the offense of loitering or prowling when he is in a place at a time or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals under circumstances that warrant a justifiable and reasonable alarm or immediate concern for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether alarm is warranted is the fact that the per...
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
Chatham County's Smoke-free Air Ordinance of 2012 bans smoking in numerous outdoor areas, including within 10 feet of doors and vents of smoke-free buildings, restaurant seating, outdoor arenas and playgrounds, under section 21-908. The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department enforces the rule, and repeat business violations escalate from $100 to $500 in fines under section 21-915.
Outdoor Smoking Ban in Chatham County, GA
Significant RestrictionsCode of Chatham County §21-908
§21-908 Prohibition of Smoking in Outdoor Areas. Smoking shall be prohibited in the following outdoor places: 1. Within 10 feet or a Reasonable Distance outside entrances, operable windows, and ventilation systems of enclosed areas where smoking is prohibited... 2. In, and within 10 feet or a Reasonable Distance of, outdoor seating or serving areas of restaurants. 3. In all outdoor arenas, stad...
Public Marijuana Use
Chatham County decriminalized small-scale marijuana possession within its own ordinance: Sec. 11-202 caps the fine for possessing one ounce or less at $150, lets a court substitute community service for a defendant who can't pay, and expressly bars any jail time for a conviction under this county section, whatever a different charge might otherwise allow.
Marijuana Possession Law in Chatham County, GA
Light RestrictionsCode of Chatham County Sec. 11-202
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess one ounce or less of marijuana within the county. Any person found guilty of violating this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $150.00. Upon conviction, should the Court find that a defendant is without the financial means to pay a fine, the Court may direct the defendant to perform community service commensurate with the fine that w...
Public Alcohol Use
Chatham County bans knowingly possessing an open container of alcohol while driving or riding in a vehicle anywhere in the unincorporated county. Sec. 12-108 defines an open container as anything with a broken seal or immediately drinkable contents, and a conviction carries a $300 to $1,000 fine or up to 90 days in jail.
Open Container Law in Chatham County, GA
Some RestrictionsCode of Chatham County Sec. 12-108
1. As used in this ordinance, "open container" means (a) any container from which its content is immediately capable of being consumed; or (b) any container the seal of which has been broken. 2. It is unlawful and punishable as provided in this ordinance for any person to knowingly possess an open container of an alcoholic beverage while operating a vehicle in the county or while a passenger in...
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