Berkeley, CA Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Age limit
- None; all ages may ride
- After-dark rule
- Reflective or light-colored clothing required
- Banned moves
- Butt-boarding, lying down, homemade ramps
- No sidewalk available
- Use far left edge, face traffic
- Adopted
- 1988, Ordinance 5853-NS
Summary
Berkeley regulates where and how skateboards may be ridden under Municipal Code Section 14.32.060: no age limit applies, but riders must wear reflective or light-colored clothing after dark, use sidewalks where available while yielding to pedestrians, and keep to the far left edge of the roadway facing traffic where no sidewalk exists.
Skateboards shall obey all rules applicable to pedestrians, the California Vehicle Code and comply with the following regulations: A. No age restrictions shall be placed upon skateboard users; B. Skateboarders shall wear reflecting material and/or light colored clothing when skateboarding after dark; C. Butt boarding and lying down on skateboards shall be prohibited; D. Home made ramps in streets shall be prohibited; E. Sidewalks shall be used for skateboarding where available, and skateboarders will yield the right-of-way to pedestrians; F. Where sidewalks are not available, the skateboarder will be required to use the extreme left-hand edge of the roadway; facing oncoming traffic; G. Skateboarders are required to obey traffic laws and vehicles codes set forth in California Highway Patrol's Skateboard Safety Handbook.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 8031-NS, passed July 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
060 treats skateboards as subject to all rules that apply to pedestrians and to the California Vehicle Code, then layers on seven specific requirements. No age restriction may be placed on who can ride under subsection A. After dark, skateboarders must wear reflecting material or light-colored clothing under subsection B. Butt-boarding and lying down on a skateboard are prohibited outright under subsection C, as are homemade ramps built in the street under subsection D. Where a sidewalk exists, skateboarders must use it and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians under subsection E; where none exists, riders must use the extreme left-hand edge of the roadway, facing oncoming traffic, the opposite of standard vehicle travel direction, under subsection F.
Riders must also obey the traffic laws and vehicle codes set out in the California Highway Patrol's Skateboard Safety Handbook under subsection G. 030, which still bind a skateboarder crossing an intersection on foot or dismounted. 68.
Violations & Fines
A skateboarding violation under Section 14.32.060 is enforced the same way as other Title 14 infractions: an infraction fine of up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second, and up to $500 for each further violation of the same section within a year under Section 1.20.020(B), with a fourth violation eligible for misdemeanor treatment carrying up to $1,000 or six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum age to skateboard in Berkeley?
Do I have to wear anything special at night?
Can I skateboard in the street if there's no sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berkeley
California rules heatmap·Compare Berkeley to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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