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Wilmington, DE Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 37-356
Applies
Only at marked crosswalks/safety zones
Marked by
Department of Public Works
Max fine
$2,500 (general penalty, § 1-5)
Max jail
12 months confinement

Summary

Where the city has marked crosswalks and safety zones, pedestrians in Wilmington must cross only within those marked locations: stepping outside them into the roadway is a Code violation enforceable like any other city ordinance breach.

Where crosswalks and safety zones are established, designated and maintained by appropriate markings or devices on or placed upon the street surface in any intersection or any street by authority of the department of public works for the protection and safety of pedestrians, it shall be the duty of pedestrians using such marked streets and intersections to cross only at these marked locations.

(Code 1968, § 37-86; Ord. No. 91-072(sub 1), § 5, 10-17-91; Ord. No. 95-043, § 3, 7-13-95)

State Law reference— Pedestrians' right-of-way in crosswalks, 21 Del. C. § 4142.

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 72).

Full Breakdown

Wilmington's Code defines a crosswalk as the marked or implied pedestrian-crossing zone at an intersection, and Section 37-356 requires pedestrians to use only those marked crosswalks and safety zones once the Department of Public Works has posted the markings or devices. The rule doesn't reach every block: it only binds pedestrians at intersections and streets the department has actually striped or signed. No standalone fine is written into Article VIII, so a violation falls under the Code's general penalty: up to $2,500 for an individual, or up to 12 months confinement, under Section 1-5.

Violations & Fines

Crossing mid-block or outside a marked crosswalk where one exists violates § 37-356; absent a specific Article VIII fine, punishment defaults to the general Code penalty: up to $2,500, up to 12 months confinement, or both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jaywalking illegal everywhere in Wilmington?
No. Section 37-356 only requires pedestrians to use a crosswalk where the city has actually marked or signed one; it doesn't create a blanket mid-block ban citywide.
What's the penalty for crossing outside a marked crosswalk?
Article VIII sets no separate fine, so it falls under the Code's general penalty in Section 1-5: up to $2,500, up to 12 months confinement, or both.

Sources & Official References

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All Wilmington rules

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