Davis, CA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Restricted zone
- Within 600 feet of secondary school
- Trigger
- Only after signs posted (§26.03.050)
- Restricted window
- 30 min before to 1 hr after school
- Citing authority
- Police chief or designee
- 1st offense
- Infraction, up to $65
- 2nd offense/yr
- Infraction, up to $150
- 3rd+/yr
- Misdemeanor, up to $500 and/or 6 mo
Summary
Davis prohibits loitering within six hundred feet of any posted secondary school campus during school hours, plus a half hour before and an hour after classes or school functions. The article only takes effect once anti-loitering signs go up under § 26.03.050, and fines escalate with repeat offenses.
(a) When signs have been posted as provided in Section 26.03.050, loitering is prohibited within six hundred feet of all secondary school campus property lines. Loitering is prohibited during the following times: (1) Thirty minutes prior to the starting time of school hours; (2) During school hours; (3) One hour after the end time of school hours; ... Any person who violates any provision of this article shall be subject to a citation, and (a) Upon first violation shall be guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed sixty-five dollars; (b) Upon second violation within one year, shall be guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars; (c) Upon third and additional violations within one year shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars, by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period of not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
03 (Loitering Near Schools) of the Davis Municipal Code was adopted to protect students' safe passage to and from campus and discourage gang activity, drug and alcohol use and violence near school grounds. 050 have actually been posted near each campus's main entrances. The restricted window runs from thirty minutes before the first class starts through one hour after the last class ends, and separately from thirty minutes before a school function through one hour after it ends. 070 sets escalating penalties. 080 lets any school administrator adopt loitering policies on their own campus that are more restrictive than the article requires. 040.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is an infraction with a fine capped at sixty-five dollars. A second violation within one year is an infraction capped at one hundred fifty dollars. A third or later violation within that year becomes a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to five hundred dollars, up to six months in the County Jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is loitering illegal everywhere in Davis?
What's the fine for a first school-loitering citation in Davis?
Can a school set stricter loitering rules than the city ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
California rules heatmap·Compare Davis to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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