Davidson County, NC Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Obstruction devices used with intent to block
- Prohibited
- Attaching self to block passage
- Exempt
- On-duty government employees or agents
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $50 fine
- Adopted
- January 12, 2021
Summary
Davidson County bans possessing an obstruction device or chaining yourself to a fixture with intent to block a public sidewalk, road, or right-of-way. Under §30.03(C)(3)-(4), only government employees on duty are exempt, and blocking access to a building or private property entrance is treated the same as blocking a public way, punishable as a misdemeanor.
(3) It shall be unlawful for any person, other than governmental employees or its agents in the performance of their duties, to possess any obstruction object or instrument with the intent to obstruct on a public road, public sidewalk, public right-of-way, entrance or exit to private property or any other area open to the public. (4) It shall be unlawful for any person, other than governmental employees in the performance of their duty, to attach themselves to another person, building, vehicle or fixture with the intent to obstruct pedestrian or vehicular movement on a public road, public sidewalk, public right-of-way, entrance or exit to private property or any other area open to the public.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance passed 4-22-2024; and State legislation through 2023 North Carolina Legislative Service, Pamphlet No. 6).
Full Breakdown
03(C)(3) and (C)(4) of the Davidson County Code of Ordinances, adopted January 12, 2021, target intentional sidewalk and roadway blockades rather than simple sitting or standing. Subsection (C)(3) makes it unlawful for anyone other than a government employee or agent performing official duties to possess an obstruction object or instrument with the intent to obstruct a public road, public sidewalk, public right-of-way, or the entrance or exit to private property or any other area open to the public. Subsection (C)(4) adds a parallel ban on attaching yourself, with the same intent, to another person, a building, a vehicle, or a fixture so as to obstruct pedestrian or vehicular movement on those same public ways.
Both provisions require intent to obstruct, so they reach protest blockades, chained-in demonstrations, and deliberately placed barriers rather than a person who is merely sitting, resting, or panhandling on a sidewalk without blocking passage. 5 when three or more people create a riot or disorderly conduct. §14-4.
Violations & Fines
Possessing a blocking device, or physically chaining or attaching yourself to a person, building, vehicle, or fixture with intent to obstruct a sidewalk, road, or entrance, is a misdemeanor under §30.03(E). Conviction carries a fine of not more than $50 and/or imprisonment as authorized by G.S. §14-4; officers may also order dispersal under G.S. §14-288.5 if the blockade escalates into disorderly conduct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Davidson County ban sitting or lying on a public sidewalk?
What counts as an 'obstruction object or instrument' under the ordinance?
What's the penalty for blocking a sidewalk under this section?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davidson County
Compare Davidson County to another location·View the North Carolina homelessness & encampment rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.