Akron, OH Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Akron City Code § 133.091
- Adopted by
- Ordinance 58-2000
- Offense classification
- Misdemeanor of the third degree
- Maximum penalty
- 60 days jail, $750 fine
- Covers
- Loitering to solicit sex for hire only
- General loitering law
- None; no vagrancy ordinance exists
Summary
Akron's only loitering ordinance targets loitering to solicit sexual activity for hire in or near a public place: streets, sidewalks, parking lots, doorways, or transit facilities. Beckoning, approaching vehicles, or blocking free passage for that purpose is a third-degree misdemeanor under City Code § 133.091.
No person, with purpose to solicit another to engage in sexual activity for hire and while in or near a public place, shall do any of the following:1.Beckon to, stop or attempt to stop another;2.Engage or attempt to engage another in conversation;3.Stop or attempt to stop the operator of a vehicle or approach a stationary vehicle;4.If the offender is the operator of or a passenger in a vehicle, stop, attempt to stop, beckon to, attempt to beckon to, or entice another to approach or enter the vehicle of which the offender is the operator or in which the offender is the passenger;5.Interfere with the free passage of another.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
091, adopted by Ord. 58-2000, makes it unlawful for a person, "with purpose to solicit another to engage in sexual activity for hire and while in or near a public place," to beckon to or stop another person, engage or attempt to engage another in conversation, stop or approach the operator of a vehicle, or beckon a passerby toward a vehicle the offender occupies, or interfere with another's free passage. "Public place" is defined broadly to include streets, sidewalks, alleys, bridges, plazas, parks, parking lots, and transportation facilities, plus doorways fronting on those places and any other place open to the public.
This is the city's operative loitering statute; Akron has no general anti-loitering or vagrancy ordinance covering loitering unrelated to solicitation. 26, was repealed by Ord. 324-2016. 10.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 133.091(A) is loitering to engage in solicitation, a misdemeanor of the third degree. Under the Title 13 general penalty section, § 130.99(C)(3) and (D)(3), that carries up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $750. A related soliciting conviction under § 133.09 becomes a first-degree misdemeanor on a repeat offense, and § 133.10 allows a prior conviction under any of §§ 133.07 through 133.091 to be introduced as evidence in a later prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Akron have a general loitering law for hanging out in public?
What counts as a public place under this ordinance?
What is the penalty for loitering to solicit in Akron?
Can a prior conviction be used against someone charged under this section?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
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