Mask Ordinance Enforcement in Oklahoma City Emphasizes Education, Cooperation

Oklahoma City’s approach to enforcing the face covering ordinance emphasizes education about how mask-wearing protects public health and keeps the economy moving by stopping the coronavirus. 

Enforcement

Businesses are not required to enforce the ordinance, but public health officials and code inspectors ask businesses and property owners to help educate people about the ordinance and the benefits to public health.

The ordinance requires OCCHD inspectors to first offer anyone in violation with a free mask, or the opportunity to leave the indoor public place. Citations will be issued only as a last resort.

Unless an exception applies, employees and patrons of businesses open to the public are required to wear face coverings while indoors and are subject to citation if they refuse an inspector’s offer of a free mask or the opportunity to leave.

If employees at a business are attempting to enforce a mask requirement and someone refuses to comply or to leave, the employees should call 911.

Signs

Inspectors will provide free signs to businesses about the mask ordinance for display in public places. The signs are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Arabic on a public shared drive link at covid19.okc.gov.

Exceptions

Everyone in Oklahoma City is required to wear a face covering or face shield indoors in public places, with the following exceptions.

• Children age 10 and under, unless required by a school or daycare.

• People working in an office who don’t have face-to-face interactions with the public.

• Patrons of restaurants, bars and similar establishments while eating or drinking.

• People in settings where it isn’t practical or feasible to wear a face covering, like receiving dental services, swimming or playing at a sprayground.

• People engaged in sports (including for recreation).

• People engaged in cardio exercises. But people should make reasonable efforts to observe social distancing between groups of people from different households.

• People inside any federal, state or county building or facility.

• People inside a public or private school building or facility, unless required by the school.

• People at a religious service or ceremony where social distancing is observed between groups of people from different households.

• People with a developmental disability.

• People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Reporting

People can report violations of the mask ordinance to the Action Center using one of four ways: 

• Online at okc.gov/action

• By email to action.center@okc.gov

• By text message to (405) 252-1053

• Via the OKC Connect smartphone app for iOS and Android devices

Contact: Kristy Yager, Public Information Director, City of Oklahoma City
405-297-2550; kristy.yager@okc.gov