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Virginia Beach, VA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Offense
Urinating or defecating in public
Penalty class
Class 4 misdemeanor
Maximum fine
$250, no jail time
Exception
Actual public restroom facilities
Adopted
Ordinance No. 1184, May 1981

Summary

Virginia Beach makes it a Class 4 misdemeanor to urinate or defecate in public or anywhere open to public view, unless you're using an actual public restroom facility.

Any person who urinates or defecates in public or in a place open to public view except in public restroom facilities shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

(Ord. No. 1184, 5-18-81)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1184, adopted May 18, 1981, added § 23-32.2 to the 1965 Code; the editor, upon the advice of the city, has made these provisions § 22-11.1 hereof.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

City Code § 22-11.1 makes it a Class 4 misdemeanor, Virginia's lowest criminal class, fine-only, no jail, to urinate or defecate in public or in any place open to public view anywhere in the city. The only exception is using an actual public restroom facility. Adopted by City Council in 1981, the ordinance sits alongside Virginia Beach's public nudity and indecent exposure laws in the city code's obscenity and public-decency article, and applies citywide, including the Oceanfront resort strip, the Boardwalk, and public parks.

Violations & Fines

Violating § 22-11.1 is a Class 4 misdemeanor, Virginia's lowest criminal class: a fine of up to $250 only, with no jail time possible, per Va. Code § 18.2-11.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is public urination illegal in Virginia Beach?
Yes. City Code § 22-11.1 makes it a Class 4 misdemeanor to urinate or defecate in public or anywhere open to public view, except in an actual public restroom.
What's the penalty for public urination in Virginia Beach?
A Class 4 misdemeanor. Virginia's lowest criminal class, punishable by a fine of up to $250 with no jail time, under Va. Code § 18.2-11.
Does the law apply at the Oceanfront and Boardwalk?
Yes. § 22-11.1 applies citywide with no carve-out for the resort strip, Boardwalk, or beach: public restrooms there are the only lawful option.

Sources & Official References

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All Virginia Beach rules

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