Lynchburg, VA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)

1 was adopted under the city's general police powers to secure free passage of pedestrians and vehicles on public rights-of-way and free access to public places. Subsection (a) defines 'loiter' to mean standing around, remaining, or parking and remaining in a motor vehicle at a public place or place open to the public while engaging in prohibited conduct, and it extends to collecting, gathering, congregating, or being part of a group. Subsection (b) lists five categories of prohibited conduct: (1) loitering, standing, sitting or lying so as to unreasonably hinder pedestrian or vehicle passage on a right-of-way, sidewalk or similar area; (2) blocking or preventing free access to a public building's entrance; (3) obstructing, molesting or interfering with someone on a right-of-way in a manner that would make a reasonable person fear for their safety; (4) engaging in conduct with a direct tendency to cause acts of violence against the person or persons at whom it is directed; and (5) stopping a motor vehicle or loitering in the street for the purpose of engaging a driver or passenger in conversation in a way that impedes traffic flow.

The ordinance defines 'public place' broadly, covering streets, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, school grounds and public parking lots, and 'place open to the public' extends the reach to shopping centers, malls, places of worship, cemeteries and the common areas of stores, offices and apartment buildings. Subsection (c) carves out an explicit protection for lawful assembly, meaning a permitted demonstration is not automatically loitering. Any violation is a class 1 misdemeanor under subsection (d), the top misdemeanor tier under Virginia law, exposing a violator to up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. The ordinance traces to Ord. No. O-92-017 (1992) and was amended by Ord. No. O-03-172 in 2003.