Boise, ID Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer zone
- 20 feet from entrances, stops, patios
- Named ban areas
- Grove Plaza, Transit Mall, 8th Street
- Violation
- Infraction citation
- Exempt
- Private homes, 21+ rooftop patios
Summary
Boise bans smoking within 20 feet of bus stops, school and city building entrances, sidewalk cafes, and restaurant patios open to minors, plus named zones like the Grove Plaza and Downtown Transit Mall.
Smoking shall be prohibited in the following outdoor public places:
A. Within the bus transfer location known as the Downtown Boise Transit Mall, consisting of the entire sidewalk on the north side of Idaho Street from Capitol Boulevard to 9th Street and the entire sidewalk on the south side of Main Street from Capitol Boulevard to 9th Street.
B. Within the bus transfer location at the Towne Square Mall, consisting of the entirety of the raised concrete waiting location and extending out twenty feet (20') into the parking lot on all sides.
C. Within twenty feet (20') of all other bus stops, benches, stations, platforms and shelters.
D. Within twenty feet (20') of entrances or exits to schools, including public and private elementary, secondary, vocational and trade schools or colleges, so as to ensure that tobacco smoke does not enter those areas.
E. Within twenty feet (20') of entrances or exits to buildings owned or managed by the City, so as to ensure that tobacco smoke does not enter those areas.
F. Within twenty feet (20') of any sidewalk cafe (as defined by the designated footprint area set forth in the sidewalk cafe map on file with the City Clerk's Office and/or the State Police Bureau of Alcohol Beverage Control) and in any dining patio and/or outdoor seating or serving areas of restaurant legally accessible to persons under the age of twenty one (21).
G. Within twenty feet (20') of all outdoor service lines.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-31: Code current through: Ord. 20-26, passed 6-9-2026).
Full Breakdown
Boise City Code Chapter 5-11, the Smoke Free Air Ordinance, prohibits smoking in specific outdoor public places, not just indoors. A 20-foot buffer applies around bus stops and shelters, school and city building entrances, outdoor service lines, sidewalk cafes, and dining patios accessible to people under 21. It also bans smoking outright in the Downtown Transit Mall, the Towne Square Mall bus transfer area, Grove Plaza (outside designated smoking spots), and the 8th Street pedestrian corridor. Private residences and 21-and-over rooftop patios or courtyards are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Smoking where prohibited is an infraction under the Idaho Infraction Rules for violations of the Idaho Indoor Clean Air Act. Employers who knowingly permit prohibited smoking face a separate infraction for each violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke on a restaurant patio in Boise?
Is smoking banned in all Boise parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boise
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