Kokomo, IN Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited conduct
- Begging/soliciting vehicle occupants in street
- Enforcing agency
- Kokomo Police Department
- Fine schedule
- $250 / $500 / $1,000 escalating
- Charitable permit cap
- 2 permits per org per year
- Minimum solicitor age
- 18
- Liability insurance
- $2,000,000 policy required
Summary
Kokomo bars anyone from standing in a public street to beg, solicit contributions, or solicit vehicle occupants for work or services. Charitable groups can solicit only with a city permit, capped at two per organization per year, and violators face escalating fines of $250, $500 and $1,000.
§ 116.31 PROHIBITION. ... Except as provided in this subchapter, no individual shall impede the free flow of traffic upon the streets within the municipal boundaries of the city or endanger themselves or others, by standing in the street and communicating, or attempting to communicate with the occupants of vehicles operating upon the streets for the purpose of soliciting employment, offering to perform a service in connection with a vehicle, begging, or selling to, or soliciting contributions from, the person or persons in the vehicle. ... § 116.32 EXEMPTIONS. (A) Charitable organizations. Charitable organizations as herein defined ... are exempted from the prohibition set out in § 116.31 above ... charitable organizations may receive only two permits for solicitation in the street in any calendar year. ... § 116.99 PENALTY. ... (B) (1) Any person, organization, partnership, firm, or corporation who violates any provision of §§ 116.30 - 116.37 shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $250 for a first offense, not to exceed $500 for a second offense, and not to exceed $1,000 for each subsequent offense.
Full Breakdown
Kokomo Code of Ordinances § 116.31 prohibits any individual from impeding the free flow of traffic on city streets, or endangering themselves or others, by standing in the street and communicating or attempting to communicate with vehicle occupants to solicit employment, offer a vehicle-related service, beg, sell goods, or solicit contributions. Section 116.32 exempts charitable organizations from that ban, but only if the organization first obtains a permit, and limits each charitable organization to two street-solicitation permits per calendar year; political campaigning is exempt outright with no permit needed.
Section 116.33 requires permit applicants to file with the Office of the City Controller, providing organizational identification, a description of the activity capped at 48 hours, proof of 501(c)(3) status, a $2,000,000 general liability policy naming the city as additional insured, and a list of participating solicitors, at least 14 days before the activity. Section 116.34 bars anyone under 18 from soliciting in the street, prohibits solicitors from intentionally touching vehicles, and requires solicitors to wear a bright orange vest or another Police Chief-approved color.
Enforcement runs through § 116.99: violations of the charitable solicitation provisions in §§ 116.30 through 116.37 draw an escalating fine, and violations of the rest of the chapter fall back to the general § 110.99 penalty.
Violations & Fines
Violating the charitable solicitation rules in §§ 116.30 through 116.37, which include the street-begging prohibition in § 116.31, draws a fine of up to $250 for a first offense, up to $500 for a second, and up to $1,000 for each subsequent offense under § 116.99(B), with a separate offense deemed committed for each day of continued violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kokomo
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