Charleston, WV Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Business-district rule
- Cross only at intersections or crosswalks
- Citation
- Sec. 114-661, City Code
- First-offense penalty
- Up to $100 or 10 days
- Repeat offense
- Up to $500 or 30 days
- Elsewhere in the city
- Must yield right-of-way when crossing
Summary
Charleston makes it illegal for pedestrians to cross streets or alleys in the business district anywhere except marked intersections or designated crosswalks, under Sec. 114-661 of the city code.
It shall be unlawful for a pedestrian to cross any street or alley within the business district except at street intersections or at crosswalks designated by official traffic control markings or signs, between street intersections.(2)Pedestrians shall have the right-of-way at all intersections and crosswalks except those controlled by traffic officers or by official traffic control devices; and at intersections and crosswalks where traffic is controlled by such officers, lights or devices, pedestrians shall be subject to control, the same as vehicles. (Code 1975, § 31-117)
State Law reference— Authority to so provide, W. Va. Code § 17C-10-1(b).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
Charleston's traffic code confines pedestrian crossings in the downtown business district to intersections or marked crosswalks. Sec. 114-661 makes it unlawful to cross mid-block there. Outside the business district, Sec. 114-663 still requires anyone crossing away from a crosswalk to yield right-of-way to all vehicles, and bars crossing outside a marked crosswalk between adjacent signalized intersections. Violations fall under the chapter's general penalty: up to $100 and ten days in jail for a first offense, rising to $500 and 30 days for a third or later conviction within one year.
Violations & Fines
First offense: up to $100 fine or ten days in jail. Second conviction within a year: up to $200 or 20 days. Third or later: up to $500 or 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in Charleston, WV?
What's the penalty for jaywalking in Charleston?
Does the crosswalk rule apply outside downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
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