Can I relieve myself outdoors in public?
No — relieving yourself in public is not allowed; it counts as fouling a public place, a fineable offence, not just an awkward moment. The ban rests on each municipality's police by-laws, made under the Police By-laws Act no. 36/1988. The police by-laws for the City of Reykjavík say everyone must behave well in public and not cause fouling — and urinating on a street, in a yard or an alley falls squarely under that. The myth is that this is harmless and at most a telling-off, especially on a night out. That is wrong: the police can issue a fine on the spot. The police have stated that fines for fouling in public are not below ISK 10,000 (a figure from a 2006 notice, so it may be higher now). If a bare body is shown in front of other people, the case may also engage Article 209 of the Penal Code on indecency, which is more serious than a simple fouling offence.
📋 The rules
- The ban rests on the municipality's police by-laws, made under the Police By-laws Act no. 36/1988; in Reykjavík Article 8 says everyone must not cause fouling in public.
- Relieving yourself on a street, in a yard or a public space falls under the fouling ban and is fineable, whether or not anyone complains.
- Fines for fouling in public are, according to the police, not below ISK 10,000 — a figure from a 2006 notice, so it may be higher today.
- If bare genitals are shown in front of other people, the case may engage Article 209 of the General Penal Code no. 19/1940 on indecency, which is heavier than a fouling offence.
- The penal basis is Article 6 of Act no. 36/1988: breaches of police by-laws carry fines unless a heavier penalty applies under other law.
🔓 Exceptions
- There is no official "necessity right" to urinate in public; a pressing need may soften the police response but does not make the act lawful.
- Public toilets and restaurant toilets exist for this — using them is the solution the law envisages, not an alley or a garden.
- On your own plot or private premises out of public view, the by-law fouling ban does not apply in the same way as on a street or square.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Relieving yourself in public is a fineable breach of police by-laws, and the police can deal with it by a fine on the spot. The penal basis is Article 6 of Act no. 36/1988, which provides that breaches of police by-laws carry fines. The police have stated that fines for fouling in public are not below ISK 10,000, but that is a figure from a 2006 notice and should be taken as a minimum benchmark rather than a fixed current amount — it may be higher now, and so is not stated here as a precise figure of the day. The hidden cost can exceed the fine itself. If a bare body is shown in front of other people, especially children, the case can escalate into an offence against Article 209 of the Penal Code on indecency, which goes on the criminal record and can affect background checks and jobs that require a clean history. Add to that the fact that it often happens in front of CCTV cameras in the city centre, so it is easy to trace, and for a tourist it can mean an unpleasant encounter with the police, payment on the spot and a lasting record of the incident.
📎 Official sources
- Althingi · Police By-laws Act (lög um lögreglusamþykktir) no. 36/1988 (Art. 6, fines) →
- Police (Lögreglan) · fine for fouling in public (sóðaskapur) →
- Official Gazette · Police By-laws for the City of Reykjavík no. 1097/2008 →
❓ Frequently asked
Is urinating in public a fineable offence?
Yes, relieving yourself on a street or in a public space counts as fouling in public and is fineable under police by-laws and Article 6 of Act no. 36/1988. It is a misunderstanding that this is harmless or at most a telling-off, because the police can issue a fine on the spot even if no one has complained.
How much is the fine for public urination?
The police have stated that fines for fouling in public are not below ISK 10,000, but that figure is from a 2006 notice and may be higher today. The exact current amount is not published in a fixed table and depends on the nature and scope of the offence, so ISK 10,000 is best treated as a minimum benchmark rather than a final figure.
Can this become more serious than an ordinary fine?
Yes, if bare genitals are shown in front of other people the case may engage Article 209 of the Penal Code on indecency, which is heavier than a simple fouling offence. Such an offence can go on the criminal record and affect background checks and jobs that require a clean history, so the consequences reach beyond the moment on a night out.
Is there any necessity right if I cannot reach a toilet?
No, there is no official necessity right to relieve yourself in public, though a pressing need may soften the police response in an individual case. The law expects people to use public toilets or restaurant toilets, so the need does not justify the act and does not make it lawful.
Why is it easy to get caught for this in the city centre?
Central Reykjavík is dense with CCTV cameras and police, especially at weekends, so an incident like this is easy to trace and often recorded on camera. That is why what many think is invisible often ends in a fine on the spot, and for a tourist it can mean an unpleasant encounter with the police and payment before moving on.
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