Sarasota, FL Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City of Sarasota Code § 21-93
- Maximum fine
- $500 under general penalty § 1-11
- Maximum jail term
- 60 days under § 1-11
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 02-4372, May 6, 2002
- Renumbered
- From § 30-12 by Ord. No. 07-4724 (2007)
- Mandatory extra charge
- $100 crime prevention fund contribution
- Forum
- County court misdemeanor, not code magistrate
Summary
City of Sarasota Code § 21-93 makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate anywhere but a toilet while in a public place, and separately bans doing so anyplace conduct might reasonably be viewed by others. Adopted in 2002 and renumbered in 2007, the ban carries no listed penalty of its own, so violators face the Code's general misdemeanor penalty of up to $500 and 60 days in jail.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to urinate or defecate in other than a toilet while at a public place.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to urinate or defecate at any place where such conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by others; provided, however, this section shall not apply where a person is urinating or defecating in a toilet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33 | Zoning: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 21-93 of the City of Sarasota Code of Ordinances bars two overlapping acts. Subsection (a) makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate anywhere except a toilet while at a public place. Subsection (b) is broader still: it is unlawful to urinate or defecate at any place where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by others, with a single carve-out for someone using an actual toilet. The city adopted the ban by Ordinance No. 02-4372 on May 6, 2002, then renumbered it from former Sec. 30-12 to its current Sec. 21-93 slot by Ordinance No. 07-4724 on May 21, 2007.
Section 21-93 does not define "public place" itself; the Code's general definitions section, Sec. 1-2, supplies the term citywide: "public place" includes but is not limited to any park, cemetery, school yard or open space adjacent thereto and any lake or stream. Because that definition is illustrative rather than exhaustive, officers can apply it to any comparable outdoor spot the public frequents, from a beachfront parking lot to a downtown sidewalk.
Because Sec. 21-93 sets out no penalty of its own, enforcement falls to the Code's general penalty clause, Sec. 1-11: a violation is punishable by a fine up to $500, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. Notably, public urination is not among the offenses assigned to the city's special magistrate under Sec. 2-309(a)(9), unlike graffiti removal or tree damage; it is instead prosecuted as a straight criminal misdemeanor in county court rather than handled as a civil code-enforcement case.
Violations & Fines
A violation is punishable under the Code's general penalty, § 1-11: up to a $500 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both, and every additional day the conduct continues counts as a separate offense. Courts may also impose up to six months' probation, and § 1-11(f) requires a $100 contribution to the city's crime prevention fund on any conviction under this Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does City of Sarasota law require an actual toilet, or is any private/discreet spot enough?
What counts as a "public place" under this ban?
Is this a civil ticket handled by code enforcement, or a criminal charge?
When did City of Sarasota adopt this rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota
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