Bakersfield, CA Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Where it applies
- Central traffic district, business districts, school zones
- Exception
- Parking malls exempted
- Enforcing agency
- Bakersfield Police Department
- First-offense fine
- Up to $50 (§1.40.010)
- Citation
- BMC § 10.48.020
Summary
Bakersfield Municipal Code § 10.48.020 requires pedestrians to cross at a marked crosswalk anywhere inside the central traffic district, in any business district, or in a school zone: crossing mid-block in those areas is unlawful. The rule carves out one express exception: it does not apply inside a posted parking mall, where pedestrian movement is governed separately under Chapter 10.72.
A. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than at a crosswalk in the central traffic district or in any business district or in a school zone.
B. This section shall not apply within any parking mall.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
' Read together, the two sections create a straightforward rule: once a crosswalk exists in the central traffic district, a business district, or a school zone, pedestrians there must use it rather than crossing mid-block or diagonally between intersections. 020, which the police department and traffic engineering division rely on when signing streets and issuing citations. 080. 020 does not itself criminalize mid-block crossing. Enforcement falls to the Bakersfield Police Department, which can cite any pedestrian observed crossing outside a marked crosswalk within the regulated zones. 010.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of § 10.48.020 is punishable as an infraction under the citywide penalty schedule in § 1.40.010: up to $50 for a first offense within a year, $100 for a second, and $250 for each additional infraction in the same year. The city can instead charge repeat or aggravated conduct as a misdemeanor, carrying up to a $1,000 fine or six months in county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where in Bakersfield am I required to use a crosswalk?
Does the crosswalk rule apply inside a parking mall?
What happens if I'm cited for jaywalking in Bakersfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Bakersfield to another location·View the California public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Jaywalking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle jaywalking.