Asheville, NC Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- City Code § 12-45
- Location
- Cherry Street skateboard park
- Required gear
- Helmet, elbow pads, knee pads
- Fine
- $20.00 civil penalty
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 3046, Aug. 26, 2003
Summary
Asheville City Code § 12-45 requires anyone riding a skateboard at the city-operated Cherry Street skateboard park to wear a properly fitted helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads in good condition, with helmets meeting current ANSI standards. Parents and guardians who let a minor use the park without this gear are also liable.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to ride, use or operate a skateboard at the city-operated skateboard park on Cherry Street without wearing a properly fitted helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. The pads and helmet must be in good condition, and the helmet must meet the current standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). (b) It shall be unlawful for the parent or guardian of any minor child to permit such minor child to use the skateboard park in violation of this ordinance. (c) Violations of this section shall be punishable by a civil penalty as provided in City Code section 1-5(c), except that the amount of such penalty shall be $20.00. Violations of this section shall not be punishable as criminal violations. If a citation is issued for a violation of this section by a minor child, then the parent or guardian of said minor child shall be responsible for the payment of the penalty.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-5: Contains Supplement, current through Ordinance 5245, passed 7-28-2026 | State legislation current through 2025 A.L.S. #3).
Full Breakdown
' It requires every skateboarder at that facility to wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads, all in good condition, with the helmet meeting the current standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The ordinance places a second, independent duty on parents and guardians: subsection (b) makes it unlawful for a parent or guardian to permit a minor child to use the skateboard park without complying with the equipment mandate, meaning a parent can be cited even though the child, not the adult, was riding.
Enforcement is civil, not criminal. 00, and expressly states that a violation of § 12-45 is not punishable as a criminal offense, distinguishing it from most other Chapter 12 park violations, which default to a misdemeanor under North Carolina General Statute § 14-4. 00 penalty. Subsection (d) directs the city manager or a designee to post signage at the skateboard park stating the equipment requirements and the applicable penalties, so riders are on notice before they enter. The section was adopted by Ordinance No. 3046, § 1, on August 26, 2003, and has not been amended since.
Violations & Fines
Riding without a helmet, elbow pads, or knee pads at the Cherry Street skateboard park draws a civil penalty of $20.00 under § 12-45(c), enforced through City Code § 1-5(c) rather than as a criminal charge. A parent or guardian who lets a minor use the park out of compliance is liable for that $20.00 fine even when the minor, not the adult, was cited for riding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a helmet to skateboard in Asheville?
Who pays the fine if my child skateboards without pads?
Is skipping the skate park helmet rule a criminal offense?
Does Asheville require pads everywhere, or just at the skate park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Asheville
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