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Kitsap County, WA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Prohibited act
Intentional urination/defecation in public
Exception
Washroom or toilet room
Legal test
Could be observed by the public
Classification
Criminal misdemeanor
Penalty
Up to $1,000 fine and/or 90 days jail
Adopted
Ordinance 335 (2005)

Summary

It is a criminal misdemeanor in unincorporated Kitsap County to intentionally urinate or defecate in a public place, or anywhere the act could be observed by the public, other than a washroom or toilet room, under KCC § 10.56.010.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kitsap County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(1) A person is guilty of the crime of urinating in public if he or she intentionally urinates or defecates in a public place, other than a washroom or toilet room, or at a place and under circumstances where such act could be observed by any member of the public. (2) Urinating in public is a misdemeanor.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).

Full Breakdown

010 makes it a crime to intentionally urinate or defecate in a public place, other than a washroom or toilet room, or anywhere else, public or otherwise, where the act could be observed by a member of the public. The ordinance, adopted by Ordinance 335 in 2005, applies countywide in the unincorporated area and carves out no exception for emergencies, campsites, or vehicles; the test is whether the location is a washroom or toilet room, or whether the conduct could be seen by the public, not whether anyone actually witnessed it.

010: a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment of up to ninety days, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense. The Kitsap County sheriff's office is the enforcing agency for peace, safety and morals offenses codified in Title 10, which also houses the county's boating restrictions, fireworks rules, adult entertainment licensing, and drug-free zone designations in the surrounding chapters. Because the ordinance is classified as a crime rather than a civil infraction, a conviction becomes part of a person's criminal record and can be charged alongside other offenses, such as indecent exposure, arising from the same incident. Officers may issue a citation or make a custodial arrest depending on the circumstances, consistent with standard misdemeanor arrest authority under Washington law.

Violations & Fines

Urinating or defecating in public is charged as a misdemeanor under § 10.56.010(2). Because the chapter contains no unique penalty, sentencing follows the county's general penalty in § 1.12.010: up to $1,000 in fines and/or up to ninety days in jail, and each day of ongoing misconduct is a separate offense. This is a criminal misdemeanor, not merely a civil infraction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is public urination a crime in unincorporated Kitsap County?
Yes. KCC § 10.56.010 makes intentional urination or defecation in a public place, or anywhere it could be observed by the public, a criminal misdemeanor, not just a civil infraction.
What is the penalty for urinating in public in Kitsap County?
Up to $1,000 in fines and/or up to 90 days in jail under the county's general misdemeanor penalty in § 1.12.010, since Chapter 10.56 sets no separate fine of its own.
Does it matter if no one actually sees me?
The statute applies where the act could be observed by the public, so conduct in a location visible to the public can violate the law even if no specific witness comes forward.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kitsap County

All Kitsap County rules

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