Manatee County, FL Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Sec. 2-3-3(d) sits at the end of the county's alcohol-related regulations chapter, right after the open-container rules, and flatly bars urinating or defecating in a public place unless it happens in restroom facilities set aside for that purpose. The rule carries no zoning or distance qualifier and no exceptions of its own; it applies to any public place in the unincorporated county. Enforcement runs through Sec. 2-3-9, which designates the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, any municipal police department that consents by resolution, and state law enforcement agencies including FDLE and the Florida Highway Patrol as code enforcement officers for the whole chapter.

Because chapter violations pose what the code calls a 'serious inherent threat to the public health, safety and welfare,' an officer may issue a citation or notice to appear immediately, without any waiting period. 22, which lets the county court impose a fine, jail time, and restitution of investigation costs. Chapter 2-3 also allows a civil action for injunctive relief as a separate enforcement track.