Tracy, CA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Loitering scope
- Illegal only on property posted under TMC 4.12.1200(a)-(b)
- Sign requirement
- Lettering not less than one inch tall
- Median islands
- Standing banned citywide, no posting required
- Exemptions
- Peace officers and labor pickets exempt
- First offense fine
- Up to $100 under TMC 1.04.030
Summary
Tracy does not ban loitering citywide. Under TMC 4.12.1200, loitering is only illegal on private or public property the owner has posted with a sign, and separately, on any freeway or roadway median island, where standing is banned outright regardless of posting. Police enforce both restrictions as posted-property violations, with penalties escalating from an infraction to a misdemeanor on repeat offenses.
(a)Definitions. For the purposes of this section, certain words and phrases used in this section are defined as follows:(1)"Loiter" shall mean the act of remaining upon posted property without the permission of the owner or person in lawful possession... (e)Trespassing, parking, and operation of motor vehicles prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to do any act which is prohibited by the language of any sign posted pursuant to this section or posted pursuant to Section 22658 of the Vehicle Code of the State...(f)Loitering on median islands. It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or use the median island on a divided highway or median separating the frontage road from the main roadway for any period of time other than at an intersection as a pedestrian refuge while actively crossing such highway.(g)Destruction of signs unlawful. It shall be unlawful for any person without authority to tear down, deface, or destroy any sign posted pursuant to this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69).
Full Breakdown
12. It defines 'loiter' as remaining on posted property without the owner's or lawful possessor's permission, so the offense does not exist until a property owner actually posts a qualifying sign. Subsection (b) lets any owner or lawful possessor post against trespassing, loitering, parking, or operating motor vehicles, singly or in combination. 1200(e)' and, for towing signs, the Tracy Police Department's number, 835-4550, and Vehicle Code Section 22658. Two exceptions apply under subsection (e): on-duty peace officers and other public employees may enter posted property regardless of the sign, and the section does not reach otherwise lawful labor-dispute picketing.
Subsection (f) works differently and needs no posting at all: it is unlawful to stand on the median island of a divided highway, or on the median separating a frontage road from the main roadway, for any purpose other than pausing as a pedestrian while actively crossing at an intersection. This is the provision Tracy Police use against people working the medians along Grant Line Road, Tracy Boulevard, and the I-205 interchanges. Subsection (g) separately makes it unlawful to tear down, deface, or destroy a sign posted under the section.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Section 4.12.1200, including the median-island ban, is an infraction under the citywide schedule in TMC 1.04.030: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second violation of the same section within twelve months, and $500 for each further repeat in that period. A third conviction within twelve months becomes a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 or six months in county jail. Destroying a posted sign under subsection (g) is prosecuted the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tracy police cite me for loitering anywhere in the city?
Is it illegal to stand on a highway median in Tracy?
What happens if I tear down a posted 'No Trespassing' sign?
How much is the fine for a first loitering violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tracy
California rules heatmap·Compare Tracy to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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Loitering Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Joaquin County handle loitering rules.