Augusta-Richmond County, GA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Augusta-Richmond County Code § 3-7-31
- Trigger
- Obstructing passage plus refusal to move on
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 60 days jail
- Enforcer
- Sheriff's Department
- Excludes
- Blythe and Hephzibah have separate codes
Summary
Augusta-Richmond County prohibits loitering on any street, sidewalk or crossing that obstructs free passage, once the person refuses to move on when told by a Sheriff's deputy or a nearby resident or business owner.
Any person who shall loiter on any street, sidewalk or crossing in such a manner as to be an obstruction to free passage thereon, and who shall fail to promptly move on when notified to do so by any officer of the Sheriff's Department, or by any citizen in front of, or near, whose residence of place of business such loitering is carried on, shall be punished as provided herein.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Augusta-Richmond County Code § 3-7-31 makes it unlawful to loiter on a street, sidewalk or crossing in a way that obstructs free passage, but only once you fail to promptly move on after being told to by a Sheriff's Department officer or by a citizen near whose home or business the loitering is happening. A related section, § 3-7-30, lets officers demand ID and an explanation from anyone loitering or loafing in public. Violations fall under the chapter's general penalty: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and up to 60 days in the Augusta-Richmond County Jail. Blythe and Hephzibah, the county's two remaining separate cities, enforce their own municipal codes instead.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor: up to a $1,000 fine and up to 60 days in the Augusta-Richmond County Jail, enforced by the Sheriff's Department under the chapter's general penalty section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is simply standing on a sidewalk illegal in Augusta-Richmond County?
Does this ordinance apply in Blythe or Hephzibah?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Augusta-Richmond County
Compare Augusta-Richmond County to another location·View the Georgia public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.