National City, CA Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)

Chapter 10.15 of the National City Municipal Code, titled Aggressive Solicitation, came from Ordinance No. 2010-2338 of the National City City Council, dated 4-20-2010. Section 10.15.010 defines "solicit, ask or beg" as using the spoken, written or printed word, or bodily gestures, signs or other means, to obtain an immediate donation of money or other thing of value or to solicit the sale of goods or services. "Public place" covers any street, highway, sidewalk, parking lot, plaza, transportation facility, school, place of amusement, park and playground, plus the doorway, entrance, hallway and lobby of a business, apartment house or hotel.

Section 10.15.020 does not ban asking for money outright. It bans doing so in an aggressive manner, which it defines through six kinds of conduct: approaching, speaking to or following a person in a way intended or likely to make a reasonable person fear bodily harm or property loss or feel intimidated into giving; intentionally touching a person or an occupied vehicle without consent; intentionally blocking the safe or free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle; violent or threatening gestures; persisting in following or approaching after the person has said by words or conduct that they do not want to be solicited; and profane, offensive or abusive language that is inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.

Section 10.15.030 then bans all solicitation, aggressive or not, at specified locations: within fifteen feet of any entrance or exit of a bank, savings and loan association, credit union or check cashing business during its business hours; within fifteen feet of an automated teller machine while it is available for customers; any public parking lot or structure after dark, meaning from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise; public transportation vehicles and the area within ten feet of a posted stop; and indoor or outdoor restaurant dining areas. At transit and restaurant locations the violation attaches to a person who stays after being asked to leave, or who solicited at that location within the preceding thirty days and was asked to leave. Unenclosed ATMs inside supermarkets, airports and school buildings are exempt, and the parking lot rule does not reach solicitations tied to business conducted on the premises by the owner or tenants, a lawful tow, or emergency repairs requested by the vehicle operator.