Royal Oak, MI Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Gambling loitering
- Cards, dice or paraphernalia, § 278-45(B)
- School grounds
- No legitimate reason or written permission, § 278-45(C)
- Drug possession/use
- § 278-45(D)
- Knowing presence at drug activity
- § 278-45(E)
- Default penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days
- Enforced by
- Royal Oak Police Department
Summary
In the City of Royal Oak, City Code § 278-45 makes it a criminal offense to loiter or remain in a public place for gambling with cards, dice or other gambling paraphernalia, to loiter on or about school grounds without a legitimate reason and written administrator permission, or to loiter anywhere to use or possess a controlled substance unlawfully.
§ 278-45. Loitering. ... A person commits the offense of loitering if he or she: ... ... B. Loiters or remains in a public place for the purpose of gambling with cards, dice or other gambling paraphernalia; C. Loiters or remains in or about a school building or grounds, not having any reason or relationship involving custody of or responsibility for a pupil, or any other specific, legitimate reason for being there, and not having written permission from a school administrator; D. Loiters or remains in any place for the purpose of unlawfully using or possessing a controlled substance; or E. Knowingly loiters or remains in any place where the unlawful use of controlled substances is practiced, encouraged or allowed.
Full Breakdown
Section 278-45, Loitering, lists four loitering offenses in Subsections B through E, separate from the aggressive-begging rule in Subsection A. Subsection B bars loitering or remaining in a public place for the purpose of gambling with cards, dice or other gambling paraphernalia. Subsection C bars loitering or remaining in or about a school building or its grounds without any reason or relationship involving custody of or responsibility for a pupil, or any other specific, legitimate reason for being there, and without written permission from a school administrator, closing off the standard excuse of having no particular reason to be present.
Subsection D criminalizes loitering or remaining anywhere for the purpose of unlawfully using or possessing a controlled substance, and Subsection E separately reaches a person who knowingly loiters or remains in any place where the unlawful use of controlled substances is practiced, encouraged or allowed, even if that person is not personally using drugs, covering, for example, someone who stays in a house or vehicle known for drug activity. All four subsections carry no dedicated fine, so a conviction is punished under Chapter 278's general penalty at § 278-52: a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both, in the court's discretion.
The Royal Oak Police Department enforces each subsection based on the specific conduct and location observed, and a person can be cited under more than one subsection for the same encounter.
Violations & Fines
Each of the four loitering offenses in § 278-45(B) through (E) is punished under Chapter 278's general penalty clause, § 278-52, since the loitering section sets no fine of its own: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both, at the court's discretion, charged separately for each distinct loitering ground observed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be cited for hanging around a Royal Oak school with no reason?
Does the loitering ordinance cover being present where drugs are used, even if I'm not using them?
Is loitering to gamble on a Royal Oak street illegal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Royal Oak
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Loitering Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle loitering rules.