Prince George's County, MD Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Sec. 01, added by CB-74-1985 and sitting in Division 5 of Subtitle 14 (Offenses Against Public Safety and Morals), bars urinating or defecating in public in two overlapping situations: whenever there is no place specifically designated for that purpose, and whenever the act occurs anywhere the person could be seen from a public thoroughfare or public property, even on private land. The Section does not carve out an exception for emergencies, intoxication, or lack of nearby restroom facilities, so the plain text applies broadly to anyone caught relieving themselves outside a designated facility within view of a public street, sidewalk, or public property.

Rather than a criminal misdemeanor, the County chose to enforce this Section through its civil citation process under Division 3 of Subtitle 28 of the County Code, meaning officers issue a citation rather than make an arrest, and the matter is resolved as a civil monetary penalty rather than a criminal record. That structure lets Prince George's County Police officers and code enforcement personnel write the citation on the spot without a court appearance for a first-time payment of the fine.