Scranton, PA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)

Chapter 309, Loitering, was adopted by City Council as Ord. No. 100-1991 and rewritten 5-6-2025 by Ord. No. 73-2025. Section 309-1 defines loitering as 'remaining idle in essentially one location or lingering or standing around without purpose either alone or in consort with others,' and a public place includes any public street, sidewalk, bridge, alley or court, plus the area directly in front of a store, restaurant, tavern or other business. Section 309-2 makes it unlawful to loiter in a public place in a manner that obstructs a public street, sidewalk, bridge, other public place or public building by hindering the free passage of vehicles or pedestrians, and separately bars any act in those same locations that interferes with a business's free ingress and egress; peaceful picketing that does not block passage is expressly exempted.

A parallel track lets a private property owner extend the ban onto their own land: § 309-3 requires the owner to post 'Loitering Prohibited' or 'No Loitering' signs with lettering at least 3/4 inch high at every entrance and building face, advertise the posting twice in a local newspaper (or once in two papers) at the owner's expense, and send a copy of that public notice to the Superintendent of Police. Before any citation issues under § 309-3, § 309-4 requires the owner to sign a hold-harmless agreement approved by the City Solicitor, and the Superintendent of Police must first inspect the property to confirm proper posting. An owner may cancel the posting on 30 days' written notice to the Superintendent under § 309-6.