El Dorado County, CA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

08 addressing offensive public conduct, makes it unlawful for any person who knows or should have known that someone present would be offended to willfully urinate or defecate in a public place other than an appropriately designed public facility, such as a restroom. The statute does not require proof that a specific bystander complained; deputies need only show the person acted willfully and that the circumstances made it reasonably apparent someone could be offended by the conduct. 08 sits within Title 9, Public Peace, Morals and Welfare, alongside other quality-of-life offenses like possession of liquor in public.

060 carves out one narrow exception for theatrical establishments primarily devoted to theatrical performances, which is unrelated to the urination provision but shows the chapter's broader focus on regulating public indecency in commercial and outdoor settings across the unincorporated County, including South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, and the rural foothill communities around Placerville. Unlike a misdemeanor charge, an infraction under this section cannot result in jail time upon a first citation, but it still creates a criminal record and a fine. Repeat violations are charged individually because each instance of willful conduct is treated as a separate act under the general provisions of Title 9, rather than as one continuing offense.