Portsmouth, VA Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 6-5
- Covered area
- Elizabeth River seawall, Portside Festival site
- Exempt
- Wheelchairs, strollers, baby carriages
- Roller skates
- Allowed only in city-marked zones
- Bicycles
- Allowed except where signs prohibit
- Maximum fine
- $200.00 per violation
Summary
Portsmouth bans skateboards, scooters and similar wheeled toys on the Elizabeth River seawall and the adjacent Portside Festival grounds. City Code § 6-5 carves out wheelchairs and strollers, confines roller skating to city-marked zones, and backs the ban with a fine of up to $200.00 per violation.
No person shall use or ride on the seawall along the Elizabeth River or the areas adjacent to the seawall designated as the Portside Festival site any skateboards, toys or similar related devices on wheels or runners. This provision shall not be applicable to the use of wheelchairs for transportation of handicapped persons or the use of baby carriages, strollers or related modes of transportation for infants, who are accompanied by a parent or guardian. The use of roller skates shall be permitted only in areas so designated by markings provided by the city's traffic engineering department for that specific use or activity. (b)The use or riding of bicycles in those areas designated in subsection (a) of this section shall be permitted except where signs indicate that such use or riding is prohibited. (c)Violation of any provision of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $200.00.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Section 6-5 targets the public seawall running along the Elizabeth River and the areas next to it used for the Portside Festival. Subsection (a) bars anyone from riding or using skateboards, toys, or similar devices on wheels or runners in that corridor, though it exempts wheelchairs used for transporting people with disabilities and baby carriages or strollers accompanied by a parent or guardian. Roller skating is not banned outright: it is confined to spots the city's traffic engineering department has specifically marked for that use, so skaters cannot simply pick any stretch of the seawall.
Subsection (b) treats bicycles differently again, allowing riding in the same corridor except wherever posted signs say otherwise, meaning cyclists face a sign-by-sign restriction rather than a blanket ban. The ordinance traces to the 1973 Code and has been amended three times, in 1991, 1995 and 2014, each refining which devices and areas are covered. The rule sits in Chapter 6, "Boats and Waterways," reflecting that the seawall is treated as a waterfront public-safety feature rather than a general parks regulation.
Violations & Fines
Riding a skateboard, scooter or similar wheeled toy on the seawall or Portside Festival grounds violates § 6-5(a) and carries a fine of not more than $200.00 per offense, issued as a straight monetary penalty rather than a misdemeanor charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skateboard on Portsmouth's seawall?
Are roller skates allowed anywhere on the seawall?
Can I ride a bicycle on the Portsmouth seawall?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portsmouth
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