Polk County, FL Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Polk County Code § 10.6-16(18)b
- Covered spots
- Restrooms, dressing rooms, bathhouses, picnic shelters
- First-offense fine
- $100 (Class II civil fine)
- Cross-referenced law
- FS Chapters 798 and 800
- Applies to
- County park property only
- Enforcing agency
- Code enforcement, law enforcement, Division staff
Summary
Polk County Code Sec. 10.6-16(18)b bars loitering in or around any restroom, dressing room, bathhouse, picnic shelter, or wooded or natural area inside a county park. The same subsection separately bans lewd or lascivious behavior under Florida Statutes Chapters 798 and 800 anywhere on park property.
No person will loiter in or around any restroom, dressing room or bathhouse, picnic shelter, wooded or natural area, nor shall any person engage in any lewd and lascivious behavior as defined in Chapters 798 and 800, Florida Statutes (2014) or any amended or successor Statute.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 109 | Land Development Code: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
The loitering ban is one clause of Sec. 6-16(18), 'Proper use of facilities,' inside the County Parks article adopted by Ordinance No. 14-065, Sec. 2, on November 4, 2014. is the operative loitering rule: it prohibits any person from loitering in or around restrooms, dressing rooms, bathhouses, picnic shelters, and wooded or natural areas within a county park, and it bars lewd and lascivious behavior as defined in Chapters 798 and 800 of the Florida Statutes, referencing the 2014 codification or any later amended or successor statute.
Because the rule sits in the parks chapter, it reaches Division-owned or maintained park land, not sidewalks, business districts, or other public rights-of-way in unincorporated Polk County. The listed locations, restrooms, dressing rooms, bathhouses, picnic shelters, and wooded or natural areas, are the specific spots the county treats as loitering hot spots, distinct from open lawns, trails, or athletic fields where lingering is not itself an offense. Enforcement runs through Sec. 6-17: code enforcement officers, sworn law enforcement officers, and Division employees can issue a citation, and the Sec.
6-17(2) schedule of violations separately classifies 'Loitering' under the ordinance's own numbering as a distinct offense with its own fine tier rather than lumping it into the catch-all Class I default.
Violations & Fines
The Sec. 10.6-17(2) schedule of violations lists 'Loitering' as a Class II offense, carrying a $100 civil fine for a first citation. A second loitering violation within five years is fined at the next higher class, $250, and a fourth ordinance violation of any kind bumps the fine class again. The county can instead file a misdemeanor charge under Sec. 10.6-17(1)c., punishable by up to a $500 fine, 60 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly does the loitering ban apply in a Polk County park?
Does the loitering rule apply outside county parks?
What is the fine for a first loitering citation?
Can loitering be charged as more than a civil fine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Polk County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Polk County to another location·View the Florida public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.