Sioux Falls, SD Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 131.004
- Where it applies
- Downtown loop area only
- Warning required first
- Yes, before any arrest
- Reset period after warning
- 3 hours
- Max penalty
- $500 fine / 30 days jail
Summary
Sioux Falls bans loitering in the downtown loop area when done to control turf, intimidate others, or hide illegal activity, but only after police issue a formal warning to disperse.
LOITERING means remaining in a public place in the downtown loop area which, for purposes of this article, includes the central business district of the city and the area bordered by the west side of Minnesota Avenue to Grange Avenue between Eighth Street and Thirteenth Street, with the apparent purpose of establishing control over an identifiable area, intimidating others from entering those areas, or to conceal illegal activities. LOITERING includes, but is not limited to:
A. Creating or causing to be created any disturbance or annoyance to the passage, access and comfort of any person:
B. Obstructing, impeding or restricting in any manner the free passage of pedestrians or vehicles; and
C. Obstructing, molesting or interfering with any person lawfully in any public place.
(b) No person shall be guilty of violation of this section unless a law enforcement officer has:
(1) Informed the person or persons within a group that the person or group is engaged in loitering within an area in which loitering is prohibited, and order the person or group to disperse and remove himself, herself or themselves from the area or from the place at which the order was issued; and
(2) Informed the person or persons within a group that he, she or they will be subject to arrest if the person or group fails to obey the order promptly or engages in loitering within sight or hearing of the location on
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-135: Current through local ordinance 54-26, passed 7-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 131.004 defines loitering as remaining in a public place in the downtown loop, the central business district bordered by the west side of Minnesota Avenue to Grange Avenue, between Eighth and Thirteenth Streets, to establish control over an area, intimidate people out of it, or conceal illegal activity. It also covers obstructing pedestrians or vehicles, or interfering with anyone lawfully in a public place. No one can be cited unless an officer first warns them to disperse and tells them they'll face arrest if they don't comply or return within three hours.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 131.004 carries the Code's general penalty under § 10.999: a fine up to $500, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both. Each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the loitering ban apply citywide?
Can police arrest someone for loitering immediately?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sioux Falls
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