Sacramento County, CA Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- § 10.20.030(b)
- Decision maker
- County traffic director
- Trigger
- Posted official traffic control devices
- Scope
- Unincorporated county roads only
- Default penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Sacramento County's traffic director can close any roadway stretch between intersections to pedestrian crossing by posting official traffic control devices, and once posted, crossing that segment or a marked crosswalk barred from use is a citable violation.
The director may determine when any part of a roadway between intersections shall not be crossed by pedestrians and upon making such determination shall cause to be placed and maintained appropriate official traffic control devices. No person shall thereafter cross any part of such roadway, unless indicated otherwise.
c. No person shall stand on any sidewalk in such a manner as to hinder or impede the movement of other pedestrian traffic. No person shall remain on any bridge or overcrossing or approaches thereto which is reserved exclusively for pedestrians for a period longer than necessary to walk across the bridge or overcrossing. (Ord. 703 § 55, 1960; Ord. 725 § 5, 1961; Ord. 854 § 1, 1964)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4941150; v18 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
Sacramento County Code § 10.20.030 gives the county traffic director authority to designate any part of a roadway between intersections as off-limits to pedestrian crossings, and separately to close specific marked crosswalks, as long as official traffic control devices are posted to mark the restriction. Once posted, crossing that stretch, the county's version of jaywalking, violates the section. The same section bars standing on a sidewalk in a way that blocks other pedestrians and lingering on a pedestrian bridge or overcrossing longer than needed to cross. The rule covers only the unincorporated county; Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Folsom and Galt enforce it under their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Violation of a posted no-crossing zone falls under the county's general penalty clause, § 1.01.190: a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in unincorporated Sacramento County?
Who enforces the crossing restriction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento County to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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