Chico, CA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Citywide, not just downtown
- Exception
- Proper restroom only
- Charge
- Misdemeanor or infraction
- Duplicate rule
- Civic Center, Section 9.43.060
Summary
Chico makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate anywhere in public - on any street, lot, or spot exposed to view - outside a proper restroom, citywide.
No person shall deposit, by means of urination or defecation, any human waste material in any public place (other than in a public toilet or restroom designed to receive waste material), in any place exposed to public view, or upon the surface of the ground or upon any premises, lot, or public street.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Supplement contains local legislation current through: Codified Resolution No. 53-26, adopted 7-14-26 and Ordinance No. 2622, adopted 6-2-26).
Full Breakdown
Chico Municipal Code Section 9.26.010 bans depositing human waste by urination or defecation in any public place, any place exposed to public view, or on the ground, a premises, lot, or public street, with the sole exception of a public toilet or restroom built to receive it. The rule runs citywide, not just downtown; the Civic Center carries an identical, separately enforced version at Section 9.43.060. Violations are charged as a misdemeanor or handled through an administrative citation issued under Chapter 1.15.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a misdemeanor or infraction, prosecuted by the city attorney or resolved through an administrative citation under Chapter 1.15 of the municipal code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is public urination illegal everywhere in Chico?
What's the penalty for violating Chico's ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chico
California rules heatmap·Compare Chico to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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