Public urination refers to

urinating Urination is the release of urine from the bladder through the urethra in placental mammals, or through the cloaca in other vertebrates. It is the urinary system's form of excretion. It is also known medically as micturition, voiding, uresi ...

in a

public space A public space is a place that is open and accessible to the general public. Roads, pavements, public squares, parks, and beaches are typically considered public space. To a limited extent, government buildings which are open to the public, su ...

without using designated facilities such as

toilet A toilet is a piece of sanitary hardware that collects human waste (urine and feces) and sometimes toilet paper, usually for disposal. Flush toilets use water, while dry or non-flush toilets do not. They can be designed for a sitting p ...

s or

urinal A urinal (, ) is a sanitary plumbing fixture similar to a toilet, but for urination only. Urinals are often provided in men's public restrooms in Western countries (less so in Muslim countries). They are usually used in a standing position. ...

s. This includes urinating against trees, lamp posts, house walls, doorways, or gardens. In modern times, public urination is increasingly frowned upon and is penalized in many countries.

Austria

In Austria, public urination is penalized as an indecency offense. In Vienna, a fine of up to 700 euros can be imposed.

France

In Paris, a fine of 68 euros was introduced in 2017. A total of 5,381 men and a few women were fined.

Germany

Public urination is considered an administrative offense under § 118 of the Ordnungswidrigkeitengesetz, classified as a "public nuisance": “Whoever commits a grossly improper act that is likely to harass or endanger the public and disturb public order.” The amount of the fine depends on the penalty catalogues of local authorities. Some municipalities increase fines for specific occasions, such as

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

Oktoberfest Oktoberfest (; ) is the world's largest , featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival, and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, from mid- or late-September to the first Sunday in October. The annual event attracts more than seven milli ...

, or other public celebrations. In some cases, public urination can be classified as

public indecency Indecent exposure is the deliberate public exposure by a person of a portion of their body in a manner contrary to local standards of appropriate behavior. Laws and social attitudes regarding indecent exposure vary significantly in different ...

, which is a criminal offense under § 183a of the German Criminal Code: Minors under the age of 14 are not criminally responsible and can only be reprimanded. In one case, a man who urinated on a beach at night in July 2022 was acquitted in 2023 by the

Lübeck Court Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and the second-largest city in the state of Schle ...

because he was only vaguely visible and no one felt harassed:

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, public urination in undesignated places is called "wildplassen." The fine for this offense is 140 euros. After years of protests by women convicted of urinating on the street, the city of Amsterdam committed to investing four million euros in public toilets for women.

United Kingdom

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, "disorderly behavior" related to public urination is punishable under the

Public Order Act 1986 The Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a number of public order offences. They replace similar common law offences and parts of the Public Order Act 1936. It implements recommendations

. At the same time, the UK has seen a significant decline in public toilet facilities.

United States

Public urination is illegal in all U.S. states, but penalties vary by jurisdiction.''Public Urination: What You Need to Know.''
2018

References

{{Commons Urine