Ames, IA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Ames Municipal Code Sec. 11.4
- First violation fine
- $50 municipal infraction
- Repeat violation fine
- $100 municipal infraction
- Alternative charge
- Simple misdemeanor by peace officer
- Exemption
- Private restrooms, designated public facilities
- Enforcing agency
- Ames Police Department
Summary
In the City of Ames, Iowa, urinating or defecating onto any sidewalk, street, alley, or other public way, or onto the floor, hallway, steps, stairway, doorway, or window of any public or private building open to public view or use, is unlawful under Ames Municipal Code Sec. 11.4. Private restrooms and public facilities designated for the purpose are exempt.
Sec. 11.4. URINATION AND DEFECATION. No person shall urinate or defecate onto any sidewalk, street, alley, or other public way or onto the floor, hallway, steps, stairway, doorway, or window of any public or private building or other place open to public view or public use, provided that this section shall not apply to private restrooms or public facilities designated for such purpose. ... Sec. 11.5. ... PENALTIES FOR OFFENSES PERTAINING TO HEALTH AND SANITATION. (1) A violation of any provision of Chapter 11, Health and Sanitation, shall be a municipal infraction punishable by a penalty of $50 for a person's first violation and $100 for each repeat violation. (2) Alternatively, a violation of any provision of Chapter 11, Health and Sanitation, can be charged by a peace officer of the city as a simple misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Ames Municipal Code Sec. 11.4, part of Chapter 11 (Health and Sanitation), bars urinating or defecating onto any sidewalk, street, alley, or other public way, or onto the floor, hallway, steps, stairway, doorway, or window of any public or private building or other place open to public view or public use. The section carves out an exception for private restrooms and public facilities designated for that purpose, so a person using a portable toilet at a downtown Main Street event or a Campustown restroom is not in violation.
The provision traces back to a 1956-code section (Ord. No. 777, Sec. 14) and was most recently amended by Ord. No. 4508 on August 8, 2023, reflecting the city's continued reliance on this same sanitation-chapter tool rather than a separate nuisance ordinance. Ames Animal Control has no role here; enforcement of Chapter 11 falls to the Ames Police Department, which can issue a citation on sight in areas like Campustown bar rows, the ISU Research Park perimeter, or downtown Main Street where foot traffic after bar close historically drives complaints.
Because the section sits inside Chapter 11 rather than the general offenses chapter, violations are governed by the chapter-wide penalty section immediately following it, Sec. 11.5, rather than a standalone fine schedule of their own.
Violations & Fines
Under Sec. 11.5, a violation of any Chapter 11 provision, including Sec. 11.4, is a municipal infraction carrying a civil penalty of $50 for a first violation and $100 for each repeat violation. Alternatively, a peace officer of the City of Ames may instead charge the violation as a simple misdemeanor, giving officers discretion between the civil infraction track and a criminal charge depending on the circumstances observed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is public urination illegal in Ames, Iowa?
What is the fine for public urination in Ames?
Are there any exceptions to Ames' public urination ordinance?
Which Ames department enforces the public urination ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ames
Compare Ames to another location·View the Iowa public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.