Lynnwood, WA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LMC 10.04.745
- Prohibited act
- Urinating or defecating outside a restroom
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, no built-in exception
- Enacted
- Ordinance 1933 § 3, 1993
- Enforced by
- Lynnwood Police Department
- Related section
- Public indecency, LMC 10.04.740
Summary
Lynnwood Municipal Code § 10.04.745 makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally urinate or defecate anywhere other than a washroom, toilet room, or other facility specifically designated for that use. The 1993 ordinance applies citywide and is enforced by Lynnwood police, with no exception written into the section for emergencies or a lack of nearby restrooms.
Any person who intentionally urinates or defecates in a place other than a washroom or toilet room or other facility specifically designated and intended for that use is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
745, adopted by Ordinance 1933 in 1993, is a single-sentence prohibition: intentionally urinating or defecating anywhere other than a washroom, toilet room, or other facility specifically designated and intended for that use is a misdemeanor. 740, which separately criminalizes exposing genitals or engaging in sexual conduct in a public place, and its definition of 'public place' there covers streets, sidewalks, alleys, parking lots, parks, and any location the public may reasonably be expected to observe. 910, covering docketing, warrant issuance, mileage, bond fees and witness fees.
The ordinance contains no exception for medical necessity, homelessness, or the absence of a nearby public restroom, and no permit or diversion process is written into the section; it is an outright, unconditional ban rather than a licensing or time-and-place restriction. 04 misdemeanor enforcement allows warrantless arrest for offenses committed in an officer's presence.
Violations & Fines
Public urination or defecation is a misdemeanor under LMC 10.04.745, prosecuted in Lynnwood Municipal Court. The section itself carries no separate fine schedule, so sentencing follows the standard misdemeanor track for Title 10 offenses, and a convicted person must also pay the city's costs of prosecution, docketing, warrant issuance, and witness fees under LMC 10.04.910.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an exception if no public restroom is available?
Is this the same as Lynnwood's indecent exposure law?
What is the penalty for a violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
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Public Urination in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle public urination.