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Eugene, OR Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
EC 4.770
Max fine
$500 under EC 4.990(1)
Adopted
Ordinance 19268 (1984)
Scope
Public places and anywhere visible from one
Related risk
Counts toward EC 4.670 unruly-gathering triggers

Summary

Eugene makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate in, or within view of, a public place except in a lavatory, under EC 4.770. The one-sentence offense carries a flat $500 maximum fine and has stood unchanged since it was added in 1984.

No person shall urinate or defecate in, or in view of, a public place, except in a lavatory.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 20739, passed June 8, 2026).

Full Breakdown

' The ban isn't limited to city-owned land; the 'in view of' language means the offense can be committed on private property too, so long as the act is visible from a public place such as a sidewalk, street, or park. The section was added by Ordinance 19268 in 1984 and hasn't been amended since, making it one of the older, unchanged provisions in Eugene's public-conduct chapter. 775, was repealed in 2013 when the city consolidated cost-recovery authority into the unruly-gatherings and administrative-penalty provisions elsewhere in the chapter.

672. Eugene police and downtown code compliance staff cite this section most often in the downtown core and along the Willamette riverbank paths where enforcement is a frequent complaint from businesses and residents.

Violations & Fines

A violation of EC 4.770 is punishable by a fine of up to $500, per the chapter's penalty table at EC 4.990(1); the section doesn't authorize jail time on its own. There's no escalating penalty for repeat offenses built into the section itself, unlike several of its neighboring public-conduct provisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is public urination illegal only on city property in Eugene?
No. EC 4.770 bans urinating or defecating 'in, or in view of, a public place,' so the act can be cited even on private property, like a yard or parking lot, if it's visible from a sidewalk, street or park.
What's the fine for a public urination citation in Eugene?
Up to $500, the maximum set by the chapter's general penalty table at EC 4.990(1) for section 4.770. The section doesn't provide for jail time on its own.
Can a bathroom emergency at a party lead to bigger trouble?
It can. Public urination or defecation is one of the specific behaviors listed in EC 4.670's definition of an 'unruly gathering.' If it happens alongside one other listed problem, like a noise complaint or a fight, the host can be cited under EC 4.672 in addition to anyone cited under EC 4.770.

Sources & Official References

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All Eugene rules

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