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St. Louis, MO Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)

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

Key Facts

Central traffic district
No crossing outside a crosswalk
Elsewhere in city
Legal only if crosswalk is 150+ ft away
Mid-block crossing
Must yield right-of-way to vehicles
Diagonal crossing
Barred without traffic-control authorization
Fine payment window
7 days to Traffic Violation Bureau

Summary

In St. Louis's central traffic district, pedestrians must cross at a crosswalk. Elsewhere, crossing outside a crosswalk is legal only if the nearest one is more than 150 feet away, and jaywalkers must yield to vehicles.

A.No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than in a crosswalk in the central traffic district.B.No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than in a crosswalk unless said crosswalk is more than one hundred and fifty (150) feet distant.

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 11).

Full Breakdown

City Code § 17.20.040 bars pedestrians from crossing a roadway outside a marked or unmarked crosswalk anywhere within the central traffic district: the downtown core bounded by Cole, Spruce, Third Street/Memorial Drive and Twelfth Street. Outside that district, crossing mid-block is allowed only when the nearest crosswalk is more than 150 feet away. Even then, § 17.20.030 requires a pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk to yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway, and § 17.20.030(C) separately bars crossing an intersection diagonally unless an official traffic-control device authorizes it.

Violations & Fines

Police issue a violation notice under § 17.20.140. The pedestrian pays a fine set by the municipal courts, or mails payment, to the Traffic Violation Bureau within 7 days, or is issued a summons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jaywalking illegal in St. Louis?
Yes, in the central traffic district it's always illegal to cross outside a crosswalk. Elsewhere it's illegal unless the nearest crosswalk is more than 150 feet away.
What happens if I get cited for jaywalking in St. Louis?
Under § 17.20.140 you get a violation notice and must pay a municipal-court-set fine, or mail it, to the Traffic Violation Bureau within 7 days, or you're issued a summons.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in St. Louis

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All St. Louis rules

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