Bellevue, WA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- BCC 10.04.040
- Offense class
- Misdemeanor
- Maximum jail
- 90 days
- Maximum fine
- $1,000
- Chapter
- 10.04 Offenses Against Public Morals
Summary
Bellevue makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally urinate or defecate in public, anywhere other than a washroom or toilet room, or anywhere the act could be seen by another person. A conviction carries up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
A person is guilty of urinating in public if they intentionally urinate or defecate in a public place, other than a washroom or toilet room, or at a place and under circumstances where such act could be observed by any member of the public. Every person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 6929, passed July 14, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040, Urinating in Public, sits in the Offenses Against Public Morals chapter of the Bellevue Criminal Code. The elements are intent and location: a person is guilty if they intentionally urinate or defecate in a public place other than a washroom or toilet room, or in any place and under circumstances where a member of the public could observe the act, even if no one actually saw it. The statute does not require an actual witness, only that observation was possible under the circumstances, which broadens it beyond a strict public-nuisance standard.
020 disorderly conduct requires. 010(M)(2), a misdemeanor conviction under this title is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, at the court's discretion. The section was last codified under Ord. 04.
Violations & Fines
A first offense is charged as a misdemeanor under BCC 10.04.040, exposing a defendant to up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine under the Title 10 general penalty schedule at BCC 10.00.010(M)(2), or both at the court's discretion. Repeat conduct in the same encounter can be charged alongside disorderly conduct (BCC 10.06.020) where the act also disturbs the peace or obstructs a public way.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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Public Urination in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle public urination.