Chattanooga, TN Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Crowd threshold
- 30 or more people
- Curfew window
- 12:00 a.m.-5:00 a.m.
- Proximity trigger
- Within 200 feet of a residence
- Owner defense
- Post 'no loitering' signs
Summary
Chattanooga makes it a $50 nuisance violation for 30 or more people to gather outside on commercial property within 200 feet of a residence between midnight and 5 a.m. without an owner present.
(a)It be and is hereby declared to be a nuisance, punishable by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) for an owner of commercial property to permit said property to be used in such a way that it is permitted that more than thirty (30) people are gathered on said property outside of any building between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. within two hundred (200) feet of any residence if no owner, employer, or representative of the owner is present to control the adverse effects of the gathering.(b)It shall be illegal to be a member of a crowd of thirty (30) or more people on an unsupervised business property located within two hundred (200) feet of a residence during the hours of 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 am.(c)It shall be a complete defense for a business owner that the property is posted with "no loitering" and "no cruising" signs. (Ord. No. 11761, § 1, 10-25-05; Ord. No. 13211, § 2, 8-22-17)
Editor's note— Formerly § 25-74.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 25-75 declares it a nuisance, punishable by a $50 fine, for a commercial property owner to let 30 or more people gather outside the building between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. within 200 feet of a residence with no owner, employer, or representative present to control the gathering. It is equally illegal to be part of such an unsupervised crowd. A business has a complete legal defense if the property is posted with 'no loitering' and 'no cruising' signs, an incentive built directly into the ordinance.
Violations & Fines
The base penalty is a $50 fine per violation under § 25-75(a); posting the required 'no loitering' and 'no cruising' signage is a complete defense for the property owner under § 25-75(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a crowd gather outside a Chattanooga business late at night?
How can a business protect itself from this loitering rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
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