Public Conduct in Anaheim, CA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Anaheim or are thinking about moving there, public conduct are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Anaheim has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of public conduct, and some of them might surprise you.

Public Urination

Anaheim makes it a misdemeanor to urinate, defecate or dispose of human waste in any public place or place open to public view, outside of restrooms and other enclosed facilities. An exception exists for people who cannot control excretory functions due to illness or infirmity, but not for intoxication.

Key details: Governing section: AMC Section 7.16.040. Classification: Misdemeanor. Covered acts: Urinating, defecating, discarding waste. Exception: Illness/infirmity preventing control. Exception excludes: Voluntary intoxication.

Violation of Section 7.16.040 is a misdemeanor, a step up from the infraction-level open-container and container-possession offenses in the same chapter. Anaheim Police can arrest or cite a violator; the medical exception must be affirmatively established and does not cover impairment from voluntary alcohol or drug use.

Loud Party Ordinance

Anaheim makes it a public nuisance to host a party that produces loud and unreasonable noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. After a first police warning, a second party at the same address within three months triggers escalating civil fines from $100 up to $1,000.

Key details: Curfew: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.. First violation fine: Up to $100. Fifth+ violation fine: Up to $1,000. Repeat window: 3 months from first violation. Appeal deadline: 10 calendar days, deposit required.

A second police response to loud-party noise at the same address within three months of the first written notice triggers civil fines starting at $250, rising to $500 for a third, $750 for a fourth, and $1,000 for a fifth or subsequent violation in that period, assessed jointly and severally against all responsible persons under Section 6.73.060. Fines are due within 30 days, and a lien may attach for nonpayment.

This is one of the stricter rules in Anaheim's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Loitering Rules

Anaheim makes it a misdemeanor to loiter, stand or sit so as to block a public street, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk, or to obstruct the entrance to a church, hall, theater or public assembly. Separate rules bar loitering on school grounds overnight and set removal rights for hotels and motels.

Key details: General loitering: AMC Sec. 7.28.010, misdemeanor. School grounds curfew: 10:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., Sec. 7.28.020. Hotel/motel removal: AMC Sec. 7.28.030. School exception: Written principal authorization. Hotel exceptions: Registered guests, union activity.

Loitering that obstructs a public way or an assembly entrance under Section 7.28.010 is a misdemeanor. Loitering on public school grounds overnight without written principal authorization under Section 7.28.020 is likewise a misdemeanor. Refusing to leave hotel or motel property when lawfully asked under Section 7.28.030 is a misdemeanor, subject to the guest, labor-activity and anti-discrimination exemptions written into that section.

Public Alcohol Use

Anaheim bans drinking or carrying an open alcohol container on streets, sidewalks, alleys and public parking lots, and on private lots open to the public. The rule also reaches vehicles parked in those lots and any private lot within 200 feet of a dance hall or sex-oriented business. It is a criminal infraction.

Key details: Governing section: AMC Section 7.16.010. Covered areas: Streets, sidewalks, public lots, some private lots. 200-foot buffer: Near dance halls, sex-oriented businesses. Classification: Criminal infraction. Fine authority: Gov. Code Sec. 36900.

A violation of Section 7.16.010 is a criminal infraction punishable by a fine set under Government Code Section 36900 or any successor provision. Anaheim Police may cite a person on the spot; separate infractions apply to possessing intoxicating liquor or sealed beverage containers inside city-owned stadiums, arenas or convention centers without permission under Sections 7.16.020 and 7.16.030.

Aggressive Panhandling

Anaheim bars asking, begging or soliciting alms in an aggressive manner anywhere open to the public, including sidewalks, streets, parking lots and building entrances. "Aggressive manner" covers touching, blocking, following after a refusal, or threatening gestures. It is an infraction under state fine rules.

Key details: Governing section: AMC Section 7.30.030. Classification: Infraction. Fine authority: Gov. Code Sec. 36900. Covered locations: Sidewalks, lots, doorways, gas stations. Key trigger: Touching, blocking, following after refusal.

A violation of Section 7.30.030 is an infraction under Section 7.30.050, punishable by a fine set under Government Code Section 36900 or any successor provision. Section 7.30.040 clarifies the chapter does not excuse conduct otherwise unlawful, nor prohibit conduct otherwise expressly permitted by law.

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions

Smoking is unlawful in any public park in Anaheim and in public restrooms in any public or private building under Municipal Code Section 6.30.070. The city also bans smoking within 25 feet of a transit stop and within 100 feet of a school or day care under Section 6.30.105.

Key details: Parks and public restrooms: Smoking banned, AMC 6.30.070. Transit stop buffer: 25 feet, AMC 6.30.105. School/day care buffer: 100 feet, AMC 6.30.105. Covers e-cigarettes: Yes, per 6.30.020 definition. First-offense fine: Up to $100.

Section 6.30.160 makes any violation of Chapter 6.30 punishable as an infraction, with citations issued by police officers or designated non-safety employees under Penal Code Section 836.5. Fines run up to $100 for a first violation, up to $200 for a second violation of the same provision within a year, and up to $500 for each additional violation within that year.

Skateboarding Rules

Anaheim bans skateboarding, coasting, and non-motorized scootering on any roadway citywide, and separately bans it on sidewalks inside posted business districts. AMC 14.28.040 makes both roadway riding and posted-sidewalk riding an infraction, enforced by the Anaheim Police Department and the Traffic and Transportation Manager, who decide where sidewalk signage goes up.

Key details: Roadway skateboarding: Banned citywide. Sidewalk skateboarding: Banned only in posted business districts. Violation class: Infraction. Civic Center parking fine: $20 first, $25+ repeat. Signage authority: Chief of Police & Traffic Manager.

Anaheim Police Department officers cite skateboard-on-roadway and posted-sidewalk violations as infractions under AMC 14.28.040, carrying a fine rather than a misdemeanor charge. Riding inside the Civic Center parking structure or another city-owned parking structure is a separate infraction under Section 14.28.050, with a $20 fine for a first offense and at least $25 for each later offense within twelve months.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Anaheim actively enforces its skateboarding rules requirements.

The Bottom Line

Anaheim is tougher than many cities when it comes to public conduct. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Anaheim, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Anaheim can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.