Public Conduct in Sun Prairie, WI (2026)
8 verified public conduct rules for Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Public Urination
Sun Prairie bans defecating or urinating outside a designated sanitary facility anywhere in public view, from sidewalks and streets to parks, parking lots and building stairwells, under Code § 9.08.050. The same section separately bars indecent exposure in those same settings.
Sun Prairie Public Urination Ban
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 9.08.050
It is unlawful for any person to defecate or urinate, outside of designed sanitary facilities, upon any sidewalk, street, alley, public parking lot, park, playground, cemetery or other public area within the city, or upon any private property in open view of the public, or in the halls, stairways or elevators of public or commercial buildings, or to indecently expose his or her person.
Skateboarding Rules
Sun Prairie allows skateboarding on public sidewalks citywide, with one carve-out: it is banned on sidewalks in any business district, meaning a commercial area with heavy foot traffic and at least 100 feet of street frontage.
Skateboarding Rules in Sun Prairie
Light RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 10.32.090
No person shall operate a skateboard on the sidewalk in a business district. A business district for the purposes of this section is defined as any area containing primarily commercial type uses which generate heavy pedestrian traffic during the business hours. Such business district shall have a minimum street frontage of one hundred (100) feet. Skateboarding on sidewalks is permitted, except ...
Loud Party Ordinance
Sun Prairie holds any person who hosts a private gathering where a guest under 21 possesses or consumes alcohol civilly liable, even if the host never supplied the alcohol. The city adopted this social hosting rule under § 5.08.170 to deter underage drinking parties on both private and public property within city limits.
Sun Prairie Social Host Liability Law
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 5.08.170
The city of Sun Prairie intends to discourage underage possession and consumption of alcohol, even if done within the confines of a private residence, and intends to hold persons civilly responsible who host events or gatherings where persons under twenty-one (21) years of age possess or consume alcohol or consume alcohol regardless of whether the person hosting the event or gathering supplied ...
Loitering Rules
Sun Prairie makes it unlawful to loiter or prowl in a place, time or manner unusual for law-abiding people when the circumstances would alarm a reasonable person for nearby safety, under Code § 9.08.040. Before arresting, an officer must first give the person a chance to explain their presence and identify themselves.
Sun Prairie Loitering and Prowling Ban
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 9.08.040
No person shall loiter or prowl in a place, at a time or in a manner not usual for law abiding individuals under circumstances that warrant alarm for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such alarm is warranted is the fact that the person takes flight upon appearance of a police or peace officer, refuses to ide...
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
Sun Prairie extends Wisconsin's statewide smoking ban by adding its own outdoor and vehicle restrictions: smoking is banned in every city park, plus all city-owned buildings, leased city buildings and city vehicles, under Code § 8.48.010. The ban also reaches electronic smoking devices such as vape pens, and violators face a $100 to $300 forfeiture.
Sun Prairie City Park Smoking Ban
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 8.48.010(D)
Smoking is prohibited in certain public areas: 1.Smoking shall be prohibited in all city parks, in all city owned and operated buildings, and in those buildings or portions of the buildings leased and operated by the city.2.City owned vehicles. Smoking shall be prohibited in all city owned and operated vehicles and those vehicles leased and operated by the city.
Jaywalking
Sun Prairie pedestrians must cross only at an intersection or a crossing point permitted by an official traffic control device; crossing between adjacent intersections anywhere else is illegal under § 10.08.090. A stricter rule with its own fine also targets loitering in medians on the city's busiest streets.
Sun Prairie Mid-Block Jaywalking Rule
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 10.08.090(A)(2), (B)
2.Crossing at Crosswalks. No pedestrian shall cross at a crosswalk except on the right half thereof whenever practicable. Where sidewalks are provided, no pedestrian shall walk along and upon an adjacent roadway except when the sidewalk is visibly unsafe, obstructed, or closed to public travel.B.Prohibited Pedestrian Crossings. No pedestrian shall cross between adjacent intersections, unless su...
Public Marijuana Use
Sun Prairie makes possessing 25 grams or less of marijuana a municipal forfeiture offense rather than routing every case to state criminal court, under Code § 9.08.060. A first offense draws a $200 cash deposit under the city's citation schedule, rising to $400 for a second or later offense.
Sun Prairie Marijuana Possession Ordinance
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 9.08.060; § 1.20.040 (Schedule of Deposits)
1.20.040 - Schedule of deposits. ... 9.08.060 Possession of controlled substances 1st offense: 200.00 2nd offense: 400.00 Sub offense: 400.00 ... 9.08.060 - Possession of controlled substances. A.Notwithstanding any ordinance to the contrary, and subject to any exception created by law, it shall be unlawful for any person to possess twenty-five (25) grams or less of marijuana, as the term "mari...
Public Alcohol Use
It is illegal to drink or carry an open alcohol container on any Sun Prairie street, sidewalk, alley or public parking lot except on licensed premises, under Code § 9.08.010. City parks add a curfew: no alcohol between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and Sheehan Park's youth baseball complex and skateboard park bans alcohol at all times.
Sun Prairie Open Container and Public Alcohol Ban
Some RestrictionsSun Prairie Code of Ordinances § 9.08.010(A)(3)-(4), (C)
3.It is unlawful for any person to consume any alcohol beverage upon any public street, public sidewalk, public way, public alley or public parking lot, except on licensed premises.4.It is unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession an open container which contains any alcohol beverage upon any public street, public sidewalk, public way, public alley or public parking lot, except o...
Looking for Dane County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sun Prairie city rules.
Public Conduct in Dane County →