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Pinal County, AZ Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Prohibited act
Public urination or defecation in parks
Governing section
Pinal County Code § 16-22(3)
Penalty
Class 2 misdemeanor, A.R.S. § 11-940
Applies to
All county parks, trails, trailheads
Enforcement
County officers can expel violators
Related conduct banned
Disorderly conduct, loud noise, soliciting

Summary

Pinal County's park rules make it unlawful to publicly urinate or defecate anywhere in a county park under Sec. 16-22(3). The same section also bans disorderly or intoxicated conduct, threatening language, unsolicited soliciting, and disturbing noise. Anyone caught doing any of these things in a county park, trailhead or trail is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor under the park rules' general penalty section.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Pinal County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sec. 16-22. - Public behavior. It shall be unlawful to: (1) Conduct one's self in a disorderly or intoxicated manner, use threatening, abusive, or boisterous or insulting language, or conduct or participate in a disorderly assembly; or to solicit for any purpose. (2) Engage in noisy conduct, operate generators or motors, operate radios, or to otherwise make loud or disturbing noises that may disturb the peace of the area. (3) Publicly urinate or defecate.

Full Breakdown

and applicable to every 'county park' defined in Sec. 16-19, meaning any park, trailhead, trail or preserved open space the county owns or operates. The section lists three unlawful behaviors together: disorderly or intoxicated conduct, including threatening, abusive, boisterous or insulting language, disorderly assembly, or soliciting for any purpose (subsection (1)); noisy conduct such as running generators or motors, playing radios, or otherwise making loud or disturbing noise that disrupts the peace of the park (subsection (2)); and, in subsection (3), publicly urinating or defecating.

The rule carries no exceptions or permit process, unlike the fire and firearms provisions elsewhere in Sec. 16-20 that allow department-designated areas. Because it is grouped with the county's general public-behavior standard rather than a separate sanitation code, a single incident, an intoxicated visitor who is also loud and relieves himself in public, can support multiple counts under the same section. The rule was adopted by Resolution No. 100417-MPR, exh. 1(3), on October 4, 2017, and it applies only within county-operated parks in unincorporated Pinal County.

Restroom facilities are provided at developed county parks specifically so that visitors are not left without a lawful option; using undeveloped brush or parking areas instead is what the section targets.

Violations & Fines

Sec. 16-24 makes any violation of the park rules, including public urination or defecation under Sec. 16-22(3), a Class 2 misdemeanor prosecuted under A.R.S. § 11-940. County law enforcement officers patrolling the park can order a violator to leave immediately in addition to, or instead of, issuing a criminal citation, and repeat offenders can be barred from returning to that county park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal to urinate in public at a Pinal County park?
Yes. Sec. 16-22(3) of the county code specifically lists public urination and defecation as unlawful behavior in any county park, trailhead or trail, with no exception for a lack of nearby restrooms, so visitors should use the facilities the county provides at developed sites.
What other behavior does the same section ban?
Sec. 16-22 also makes it unlawful to be disorderly or intoxicated, use threatening or abusive language, hold a disorderly assembly, solicit for any purpose, or make loud, disturbing noise such as running generators or playing radios that disrupts the peace of the park.
What happens if I'm cited under this section?
A violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor under A.R.S. § 11-940 per Sec. 16-24, and county law enforcement officers can also order you to leave the park immediately, independent of whether they issue a formal citation for the offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pinal County

All Pinal County rules

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