Yolo County, CA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Streets/sidewalks section
- Yolo County Code § 5-5.01
- Entrance-obstruction section
- Yolo County Code § 5-5.02
- Trigger for violation
- Hindering passage or obstructing entrance
- Applies in
- Unincorporated Yolo County only
- Default penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Yolo County bans loitering, standing, or sitting on public highways, sidewalks, or crosswalks in a way that blocks passage, and at the entrances of churches, halls, theaters, or other public assembly places, under Sections 5-5.01 and 5-5.02.
It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter or stand or sit in or upon any public highway, alley, sidewalk, or crosswalk in the unincorporated territory of the County so as in any manner to hinder or obstruct the free passage therein or thereon of persons or vehicles passing along the same or so as in any manner to annoy or molest persons passing along the same.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 5 of Title 5, headed "Loitering," splits the offense into two sections. 01 makes it unlawful for any person to loiter or stand or sit in or upon any public highway, alley, sidewalk, or crosswalk in the unincorporated territory of the County in a manner that hinders or obstructs the free passage of persons or vehicles, or that annoys or molests passersby. 02 separately targets entrances: it is unlawful to loiter or stand or sit at the entrance of any church, hall, theater, or other place of public assemblage in the unincorporated territory in a manner that obstructs that entrance.
Both sections trace back to Ordinance No. 140, one of the county's older public-order ordinances, and both are obstruction-based rather than status-based: the conduct that matters is blocking or interfering with passage or entry, not simply being present in a location. 05, but those govern minors during defined curfew hours and are a distinct rule from the general loitering prohibition that applies to any person, at any hour, anywhere in the unincorporated area.
Violations & Fines
Neither Section 5-5.01 nor 5-5.02 sets its own fine, so a violation falls under the countywide misdemeanor penalty in Section 1-2.01: up to a $500 fine, up to six months in the County Jail, or both, with each day of continuing obstruction chargeable as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to stand on a sidewalk in unincorporated Yolo County?
Can someone loiter outside a church or theater entrance?
What is the penalty for loitering in unincorporated Yolo County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.