Dayton, OH Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, 4th degree
- Trigger
- Failure to disperse on police order
- Covers
- Streets, alleys, sidewalks, public buildings
- Citation
- R.C.G.O. § 137.07
Summary
Dayton bars unpermitted street assembly that blocks public passage and requires dispersal when a police officer orders it.
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, acting either individually or in concert, to congregate or assemble unlawfully or without having obtained a proper permit so to do, on or in any public highway, street, avenue, alley, sidewalk, public grounds or public building in a manner so as to impede others of the general public from the use thereof, or to prevent the ingress or egress of the general public to or from any public or private property to or from any public highway, street, avenue, alley, or sidewalk, and who has failed to move on or remove himself therefrom when lawfully ordered so to do by a police officer of the city.(B)Whoever violates this section shall be guilty of obstruction of public ways and places, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (Ord. 23508, passed 10-8-69)
Cross reference— Penalty, see § 130.99.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Under § 137.07, it is unlawful in Dayton to congregate or assemble on a public highway, street, alley, sidewalk, or public ground without a permit in a manner that impedes the public's use of the way, or to block ingress or egress, and then fail to move on when a police officer lawfully orders dispersal. A violation is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The scout's pointer to § 136.05 covers only loitering to solicit prostitution, a narrower, separate offense: this is the city's general obstruction/loitering standard.
Violations & Fines
Blocking a public street, sidewalk, or building entrance and refusing a police order to move on; misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is loitering itself illegal in Dayton?
Is this the same as the prostitution-loitering law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dayton
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