Billings, MT Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 22-408
- Curb obstructions
- Also barred under § 22-403
- Permit path
- Encroachment permit, § 22-407
- First-offense penalty
- Up to $300 civil fine
- Repeat penalty
- Up to $500 per day
Summary
Billings bans obstructing sidewalks, streets, or alleys, plus blocking business entrances by standing, sitting, or lying in the doorway.
No person shall obstruct any sidewalk, street, or alley, or fail to remove any obstruction placed in or upon any street, sidewalk, or alley. Whenever permission previously granted has been withdrawn by the city, the obstruction must be removed immediately.(b)No person shall obstruct or hinder an entrance to a commercial building, interfere with ingress and egress, or otherwise occupy or impede the doorway to a commercial building by standing, sitting, lying, or sleeping on a street, sidewalk, or alley in front of the building's entrance. Violations shall be subject to civil penalties as specified in section 18-1304.
(Code 1967, § 13.16.110; Ord. No. 10-5501, § 1, 1-11-10; Ord. No. 25-5917, § 1, 7-28-25)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 25-5917, § 1, adopted July 28, 2025, changed the title of section 22-408 from "Failure to remove obstructions" to "Right-of-way obstructions and blocking access to entrances." The historical notation has been preserved for reference purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 22-408 makes it unlawful to obstruct any sidewalk, street, or alley, or to fail to remove an obstruction once placed there, and if a prior permission for something in the right-of-way is withdrawn by the city, the obstruction has to come out immediately. A companion clause bars obstructing or hindering a commercial building's entrance, including by standing, sitting, lying, or sleeping across the doorway on the sidewalk, street, or alley in front of it. Permanent placements need an encroachment permit under § 22-407, and anything set up outside the curbing is separately banned by § 22-403.
Violations & Fines
Municipal infraction, civil penalty up to $300 for a first violation and up to $500 per repeat, with each day of continued obstruction a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block a store entrance by sitting on the sidewalk?
What if the city already gave me permission to place something in the right-of-way?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
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