San Jose, CA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SJMC § 10.12.110
- Chapter
- 10.12, Offenses Against Public Decency
- Exception
- Enclosed bathroom, restroom or commode
- Origin
- Ordinance 23288
Summary
San Jose bans urinating or defecating in public anywhere outside an enclosed bathroom, restroom or similar structure, under Municipal Code Chapter 10.12's public decency provisions.
No person shall urinate or defecate in public except when using a urinal, toilet or commode located in a bathroom, restroom or other structure enclosed from public view.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
San Jose Municipal Code § 10.12.110 makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate in public except in a urinal, toilet or commode inside a bathroom, restroom or other structure enclosed from public view. The section sits in Chapter 10.12, "Offenses Against Public Decency," alongside the city's nude-display and indecent-exposure rules, and traces to Ordinance 23288. There's no permit or warning tier described in the text -- the ban is a flat prohibition tied to the enclosed-structure exception.
Violations & Fines
A citation is an infraction or misdemeanor enforceable by San Jose police under the general public-decency chapter; each act of public urination or defecation outside an enclosed restroom is a separate violation of § 10.12.110.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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Public Urination in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle public urination.