Tallahassee, FL Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- § 12-91
- First offense fine
- $100.00
- Second offense fine
- $250.00
- Third+ offense fine
- $500.00
- Covers
- sidewalks, corners, parks, buildings
- Division created
- Ord. 15-O-37AA, Jan. 1, 2016
Summary
Tallahassee Code of General Ordinances § 12-91 makes it unlawful to stand, congregate, or assemble on sidewalks, street corners, or in and around parks and public buildings so as to hinder passersby. A first conviction draws a $100.00 fine, rising to $250.00 for a second and $500.00 for a third or later conviction, enforced citywide by Tallahassee Police.
(a)No person or persons shall stand, congregate or assemble upon any of the sidewalks or corners of the streets, or in, around or about the parks or other public places or buildings in this city so as to hinder the passersby.(b)Any person convicted of violating any of the terms of this section shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of $100.00 for the first conviction, $250.00 for the second conviction, and $500.00 for the third or subsequent conviction.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 75 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Section 12-91 sits in Article IV, Division 1 of Chapter 12, "Offenses Involving Public Peace and Order," a division the city commission formally created by Ordinance No. 15-O-37AA on January 1, 2016. " The hinder element means officers must point to actual interference with pedestrian movement rather than mere presence, but the ordinance carves out no exception for someone who is homeless, resting, or has nowhere else to be, and it reaches every sidewalk, corner, park, and public building citywide, not a single designated zone.
Because it is written as a straight criminal offense, tracing back to Code 1957 § 23-5 and Code 1984 § 15-12, a citation runs through the penalty schedule set by Ordinance No. 00 for a third or any later conviction, with no separate voluntary-compliance window built into this section (unlike the city's noise ordinance). ch. 04, as related state law, but § 12-91 is the local provision Tallahassee Police actually cite for sidewalk, corner, or park obstruction involving individuals or groups who will not move along.
Violations & Fines
A conviction under § 12-91 is a criminal penalty, not an administrative fine: $100.00 for a first offense, $250.00 for a second, and $500.00 for a third or any subsequent conviction, assessed per incident. The section builds in no warning period or voluntary-compliance window; a Tallahassee Police Department officer may cite once standing, congregating, or assembling that hinders passersby is observed on a sidewalk, street corner, park, or public building anywhere in the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to just sit on a Tallahassee sidewalk?
What is the fine for a first violation?
Does the ordinance apply inside city parks?
Who enforces this law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tallahassee
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Tallahassee to another location·View the Florida homelessness & encampment rules overview
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