Newport Beach, CA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- NBMC § 10.06.010
- Covers
- Public places and publicly visible private property
- Exception
- Public or private restroom
- First-violation fine
- Up to $100 (infraction)
- Original ordinance
- Ord. 1506, 1973
Summary
Newport Beach makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate on private property visible to the public, or on any public street, sidewalk, alley, park or beach, unless using a public or private restroom, under Municipal Code Section 10.06.010.
§ 10.06.010. Human Waste. No person shall urinate or defecate on private property in an area exposed to the public view, or on any public street, sidewalk, alley, park, beach or other public place except in a public or private restroom.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10.06, Human Waste, contains a single operative section, 10.06.010, dating to Ordinance 1506 in 1973 and renumbered by Ordinance 2023-22 in 2023. It prohibits urinating or defecating on private property in an area exposed to public view, or on any public street, sidewalk, alley, park, beach or other public place, carving out only a public or private restroom as a lawful location. Because the section reaches private property 'exposed to the public view,' it covers front yards, driveways and beachfront patios visible from the street or sand, not just City-owned rights-of-way. The prohibition sits in Title 10, Offenses and Nuisances, alongside the drinking-in-public ban in Chapter 10.04 and the sitting/lying/storage restrictions of Chapter 10.08, all enforced by the Newport Beach Police Department. The section carries no independent fine schedule of its own, so a violation is prosecuted under the Municipal Code's general enforcement provisions at Section 1.04.010, which lets police officers or designated nonsafety employees issue written citations.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 10.06.010 is prosecuted under the general penalty scheme in Section 1.04.010: as an infraction, fines run up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each further repeat, or the City can instead charge a misdemeanor carrying a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in the City Jail. Police officers and designated nonsafety employees may issue written citations directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to urinate on my own front lawn in Newport Beach?
What is the penalty for violating the public urination ordinance?
Does the ban apply on Newport Beach's public beaches?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport Beach
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