Greensboro, NC Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Urinating/defecating outside a restroom
- Applies to
- Public places and private property
- Defense
- Owner's written permission (private property)
- Penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor, up to $50
- Last amended
- 2022 (Ord. Nos. 22-123, 22-151)
Summary
Urinating or defecating in any public place, street, sidewalk, alley, right-of-way, public building, or on private property in Greensboro is unlawful under City Code § 18-45, unless done in a designated restroom. The only defense on private property is the owner's written permission; violators face a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of up to $50.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to urinate or defecate on any public place, sidewalk, street, alleyway or right-of-way, or in any public building except in designated water closets or toilet facilities, or on any private property. Having the written permission of the owner or person in lawful possession shall constitute an affirmative defense to the charge or urinating or defecating on private property. (b) Penalty. Pursuant to G.S. § 14-4, a violation of this section shall be a class 3 misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to fifty dollars ($50.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 132).
Full Breakdown
' There is no carve-out in the text for medical necessity, children, or emergencies; the ordinance is written as a flat prohibition covering every public place and building in the city outside restroom facilities. § 14-4, carrying a fine of up to $50. The section has been amended twice in recent years (Ord. No. 22-123 and Ord. No. 22-151, both 2022) alongside the rest of Article III's offenses against public peace and order, keeping it current as an active Greensboro Police Department enforcement tool for downtown and park-area complaints.
Violations & Fines
Urinating or defecating in a public place, on a sidewalk, street, alley, right-of-way, in a public building outside a restroom, or on private property without the owner's written permission is a class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. § 14-4, punishable by a fine of up to $50 per § 18-45(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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Public Urination in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle public urination.