Wichita, KS Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Sec. 5.68.160, Sec. 5.68.165
- Element
- Open view, not a designated restroom
- Defecation penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail
- Urination penalty
- Up to $500 (Sec. 1.04.060 default)
- Indigency option
- 10-40 hours public service
Summary
Urinating or defecating anywhere in public view in Wichita, on a street, alley, public building or private property not designated as a restroom, is a misdemeanor under Municipal Code Sec. 5.68.160 and Sec. 5.68.165. Defecation carries an explicit fine of up to $500 or 30 days in jail; a public-service alternative exists for indigent defendants.
Sec. 5.68.160: Any person within the corporate limits of the City of Wichita who urinates upon any highway, street, alley or upon the premises of any public place or building or upon private property, in open view of any person, when the same has not been designated or designed as a rest room, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Sec. 5.68.165(a): It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the City of Wichita to defecate upon any highway, street, alley or upon the premises of any public place or building, or upon private property in open view of any person when the same has not been designated or designed as a rest room. (b) Any person who is convicted of a violation of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Sec. 165(a) mirrors that ban for defecation using identical location and open-view language. Unlike the urination section, Sec. 165(b) spells out its own penalty: a misdemeanor conviction is punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 or imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both. 04 court costs, with the court fixing the hours at not less than ten and not more than 40, and the finding of indigency noted on the disposition sheet along with the public-service hours ordered. Because Sec.
160 does not itself state a penalty, urination offenses default to Wichita's general penalty clause, Sec. 060, which caps a fine at $500 for any Code violation lacking a specific penalty and treats each day of a continuing violation as a separate offense. Both sections turn on the location not being designed or designated as a restroom and the act occurring in open view, so conduct inside a private, enclosed space is outside their reach; the phrase "open view of any person" is the operative element officers must observe or have witnessed to support a citation.
Violations & Fines
Defecation is punishable under Sec. 5.68.165(b) by a fine up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with indigent defendants eligible for 10 to 40 hours of public service instead. Urination, lacking its own stated penalty, falls to the Sec. 1.04.060 general penalty: up to $500 per offense, with each day a continuing violation counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is public urination and public defecation the same offense in Wichita?
Can a fine for public defecation in Wichita be waived if I can't pay?
What is the maximum jail time for public urination in Wichita?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wichita
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