Modesto, CA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Restricted hours
- 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Zone radius
- Within 300 ft of posted no-cruise street
- 1st offense fine
- $75 minimum
- 2nd offense (1 yr)
- $150 minimum
- 3rd+ offense (1 yr)
- $250 minimum
- Refusal to leave
- Elevated to misdemeanor
Summary
Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-7.1504 makes it unlawful to loiter, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., on any property within 300 feet of a street posted as a no-cruising zone. Fines escalate from $75 to $250 for repeat convictions within a year, and refusing to leave after a citation is a misdemeanor.
It shall be unlawful to loiter on any property in the proximity of any posted no-cruising zone between the hours of 6:00 p.m. of one day and 6:00 a.m. the next day. As used in this section, the term "loiter" means to delay or linger without a lawful purpose for being on the property. "Property in the proximity of any posted no-cruising zone" as used in this section shall mean any property which is both visible from and located within three hundred (300) feet of any portion of a street, alley, or highway which is posted as a no-cruising zone pursuant to Article 18 of Chapter 2 of Title 3 of the Modesto Municipal Code.
Violation of this section is an infraction. The minimum penalty for a first conviction is a seventy-five dollar ($75.00) fine; for a second conviction within one (1) year, the minimum penalty is a one hundred fifty dollar ($150.00) fine; for a third or subsequent conviction within one (1) year, the minimum penalty is a two hundred fifty dollar ($250.00) fine.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 71).
Full Breakdown
1504 targets loitering tied to the City's separate no-cruising street designations under Article 18, Chapter 2, Title 3 of the Code. The section defines 'loiter' as delaying or lingering on property without a lawful purpose for being there, and applies to any property that is both visible from and located within three hundred feet of a street, alley or highway posted by the City as a no-cruising zone. the next. A first conviction carries a minimum $75 fine; a second conviction within one year carries a minimum $150 fine; a third or subsequent conviction within the same year carries a minimum $250 fine, all as infractions.
01 of the Code. 1504 is treated as having committed a traffic offense for purposes of Welfare and Institutions Code § 256, which governs how juvenile traffic matters are processed outside the normal delinquency track. Because the no-cruising zone designation itself is a separate, discretionary Council action under Title 3, the loitering ban only reaches specific posted corridors, not the City generally.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of § 4-7.1504 carries a minimum $75 infraction fine; a second within one year, a minimum $150 fine; a third or later within the same year, a minimum $250 fine. Refusing to leave after being cited elevates the offense to a misdemeanor under § 1-2.01, exposing the violator to a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a no-cruise zone in Modesto?
How much is the fine for loitering near a no-cruise zone?
What happens if I refuse to leave after being cited?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Modesto
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