Riverside, CA Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Covers e-cigarettes
- Electronic smoking devices included in ban
- Where it applies
- Any public or private place open to the public
- Listed locations
- Parks, restaurants, bars, stores, transit stops
- Legal basis
- City Charter § 200; State Constitution Art. XI
- Default penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 or 6 months
Summary
Riverside bans smoking, including electronic cigarettes, in any public place under RMC Chapter 6.23. City buildings, parks, restaurants, bars, stores, stadiums, gas stations, playgrounds, taxis, buses, and transit stops are all off-limits, whether the location is publicly or privately owned, whenever it is open to the general public.
It is unlawful for any person to smoke or to dispose of any lighted match or cigarette, cigar ashes or any flaming or glowing substance in any public place including any place within the city, public or private, that is open to the general public regardless of any fee or age requirement, including, for example, city buildings, facilities, parks and community centers; bars; restaurants; stores; stadiums; service areas such as gas stations or ATM lines; playgrounds; taxis; buses or public transit stops.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
020). 030 defines "smoke or smoking" broadly to include burning, holding, or exhaling from any cigar, cigarette, pipe, or "electronic smoking device," and separately defines an electronic smoking device as any device used to deliver an inhaled dose of nicotine or other substances, whatever it is called. 040, makes it "unlawful for any person to smoke or to dispose of any lighted match or cigarette, cigar ashes or any flaming or glowing substance in any public place including any place within the city, public or private, that is open to the general public regardless of any fee or age requirement," and lists city buildings, facilities, parks and community centers, bars, restaurants, stores, stadiums, gas stations or ATM lines, playgrounds, taxis, buses, and public transit stops as examples. Because the definition covers vaping devices, the ban applies equally to e-cigarette use in every one of those settings, not just combustible tobacco.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 6.23 sets no penalty of its own, so a violation of Section 6.23.040 is enforced under the citywide default at RMC Section 1.01.110: a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in County jail, or both, unless the City Attorney elects to charge and prosecute it as an infraction with a fine capped at $250. Each day a violation continues can be treated as a separate offense, and officers designated under RMC Section 1.01.115 may issue a Notice to Appear citation on the spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Riverside's smoking ban cover vaping?
Where exactly is smoking prohibited in Riverside?
What happens if someone smokes in a prohibited area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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Outdoor Smoking Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle outdoor smoking restrictions.