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Mendocino County, CA Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Business district ban hours
8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Reflective clothing required
During darkness, per Veh. Code § 280
Posted areas covered
Skateboards, roller skates, in-line skates
Violation classification
Infraction plus public nuisance
Enforcement tool
Summary impoundment by any peace/public officer

Summary

Skateboards are banned on sidewalks in business districts from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., reflective clothing is required after dark elsewhere, and the Board of Supervisors can post any public property off-limits to skateboards, roller skates and in-line skates.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Mendocino County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

No person shall use or operate a skateboard upon any sidewalk or path open for pedestrian travel in a business district during business hours. The term "business district" shall have the meaning given to it by Sections 235 and 240 of the Vehicle Code. "Business hours" means that period between 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).

Full Breakdown

Mendocino County Code Sec. m. Outside a banned business district, Sec. 020 still requires reflective clothing for anyone skateboarding on a sidewalk, street or public way during darkness as defined by Vehicle Code Section 280. Sec. 030 gives the County a broader tool: once the Board of Supervisors passes a resolution designating a public street, sidewalk, park, walkway, building, property or parking facility as off-limits and it is posted with signs or markings, skateboards, roller skates and in-line skates are all banned there, including County-owned property that sits inside city limits.

That posted-property ban applies on top of, not instead of, the business-district curfew in Sec. 010. Sec. 36 an infraction and separately declares the prohibited activity itself a public nuisance, which lets any peace officer or County public officer summarily abate it by impounding the skateboard, roller skates or in-line skates used in the offense; impounded equipment is held for disposition as the court hearing the infraction charge orders. The Chapter was adopted in 1986 (Ord. No. 3615) with the posted-property rule added in 1997 (Ord. No. 3967).

Violations & Fines

Any violation of Chapter 15.36, whether skateboarding in a business district during the 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. window, skating after dark without reflective clothing, or entering a posted no-skate area, is an infraction under Sec. 15.36.040. The conduct is also declared a public nuisance, so a peace officer or County public officer may immediately impound the skateboard, roller skates or in-line skates used, with disposition left to the court hearing the infraction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skateboard on the sidewalk in a Mendocino County business district?
Not between 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Sec. 15.36.010 bans skateboarding on sidewalks or pedestrian paths in a business district, as defined by Vehicle Code Sections 235 and 240, during those posted business hours.
Do I need reflective clothing to skateboard at night in the county?
Yes, outside a business-district ban. Sec. 15.36.020 requires reflective clothing for anyone skateboarding on a sidewalk, street or public way during darkness, as Vehicle Code Section 280 defines that term.
What happens if I skateboard in a posted no-skating area?
It's an infraction and a public nuisance under Sec. 15.36.040. Any peace officer or County public officer can summarily impound your skateboard, roller skates or in-line skates, with the court hearing your infraction case deciding what happens to the impounded equipment.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Mendocino County

All Mendocino County rules

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