Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Key FactsOrdinance TextFull BreakdownViolationsFAQSourcesMore in Mobile

Mobile, AL Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Mobile City Code § 61-344
Boundary streets
Jackson, Government, Royal, St. Michael
Prohibited acts
Mid-block crossing or diagonal intersection crossing
Maximum fine
$500 (Sec. 1-21)
Maximum jail/hard labor
6 months (Sec. 1-21)
Prosecution deadline
12 months (Sec. 1-22)
Source
1965 Code § 22-8, unchanged

Summary

In the historic downtown core bounded by Jackson, Government, Royal and St. Michael Streets, Mobile bans jaywalking outright: pedestrians may cross only at a street intersection and may not cut diagonally across one. City Code Sec. 61-344 defines the offense; violators face the citywide ordinance penalty of up to a $500 fine and up to six months in jail or at hard labor.

In the area or section of the city bounded on the west by Jackson Street on the south by Government Street, on the east by Royal Street and on the north by St. Michael Street, and including portions of the streets bounding such area or section, it is hereby prohibited and made unlawful for any pedestrian to be guilty of what is known as jaywalking, that is, to cross any street at any place except at a street intersection or to cross diagonally at any street intersection.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).

Full Breakdown

Mobile City Code Sec. 61-344 draws a rectangle around the historic business district: west to Jackson Street, south to Government Street, east to Royal Street, and north to St. Michael Street, including the bounding streets themselves. ' The rule reaches two separate acts: crossing mid-block anywhere other than at an intersection, and cutting a diagonal shortcut through an intersection instead of walking the two legs of the crosswalk. Outside the four named streets, the more general Sec. 61-343 governs crosswalk crossing in business districts citywide, but Sec.

61-344's outright ban is confined to downtown. Sec. 61-344 sets no fine of its own; like every provision in the Code that omits a specific penalty, it falls under Sec. 1-21, the citywide penalty and enforcement article, which caps a conviction at a $500 fine plus up to six months of imprisonment or hard labor for the city, at the municipal court's discretion. Sec. 1-21(d) also makes every day a violation continues a separate offense, and Sec. 1-22 requires the city to begin prosecution within twelve months of the jaywalking. The ordinance traces to the 1965 Code, § 22-8, carried forward unchanged into the current Code of Ordinances.

Violations & Fines

A jaywalking conviction in downtown Mobile draws the general municipal penalty: a fine up to $500 and, at the municipal judge's discretion, up to six months of imprisonment or hard labor for the city (Sec. 1-21). Each day a continuing violation persists counts as a separate offense, and the city must file charges within twelve months of the incident under Sec. 1-22.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where in Mobile does the jaywalking ban apply?
Only inside the downtown rectangle formed by Jackson Street on the west, Government Street on the south, Royal Street on the east and St. Michael Street on the north, per Mobile City Code Sec. 61-344. The bounding streets themselves are included. Cross mid-block or diagonally anywhere in that area and you've jaywalked; the same act outside those four streets isn't a Sec. 61-344 violation, though other pedestrian-crossing rules can still apply.
What exactly counts as jaywalking under Sec. 61-344?
Two things: crossing any street at any point other than a street intersection, and crossing diagonally through an intersection instead of using the crosswalk legs. Sec. 61-344 calls both acts 'jaywalking' and prohibits them outright inside the downtown boundary, with no exceptions written into the section itself.
What's the penalty for jaywalking in Mobile?
Sec. 61-344 sets no penalty of its own, so the citywide default in Sec. 1-21 applies: up to a $500 fine and, at the court's discretion, up to six months of imprisonment or hard labor for the city. Sec. 1-21(d) treats each day a violation continues as a separate offense.
How long does Mobile have to prosecute a jaywalking ticket?
Twelve months from the date of the offense. Sec. 1-22 sets that limitation period for every violation of the Code of Ordinances, including Sec. 61-344's jaywalking ban, so a citation filed later than a year after the crossing is time-barred.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Mobile

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsOutdoor Smoking RestrictionsHeavy RestrictionsAggressive PanhandlingSignificant RestrictionsLoitering RulesSignificant RestrictionsPublic Alcohol UseSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Neighbor Fence RulesSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSignificant RestrictionsFire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome Restrictions

All Mobile rules

Compare Mobile to another location·View the Alabama public conduct overview

Get notified when Jaywalking in Mobile, AL changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.