Penal Law § 240.20

Disorderly conduct · as in force on May 31, 2026

§ 240.20 Disorderly conduct.

A person is guilty of disorderly conduct when, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof:

1. He engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; or

2. He makes unreasonable noise; or

3. In a public place, he uses abusive or obscene language, or makes an obscene gesture; or

4. Without lawful authority, he disturbs any lawful assembly or meeting of persons; or

5. He obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic; or

6. He congregates with other persons in a public place and refuses to comply with a lawful order of the police to disperse; or

7. He creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose.

Disorderly conduct is a violation.

Official sourcehttps://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/240.20

In plain English

With intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk of it, disorderly conduct includes:

(1) Fighting or violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior;
(2) Unreasonable noise;
(3) In a public place, using abusive or obscene language or making an obscene gesture;
(4) Without lawful authority, disturbing a lawful assembly or meeting;
(5) Obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic;
(6) Congregating with others in a public place and refusing a lawful police order to disperse; or
(7) Creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition by an act that serves no legitimate purpose. ★

The offense is a violation.

Marked in the text: penalties, time limits, sums of money. Editorial emphasis added by this edition; it does not appear in the statute as enacted.

In print

This provision appears in Volume 4 — The Court Clerk: Penal Law; Volume 1 — The Court Officer in Plain English; Volume 3 — The Court Officer: Penal Law; Volume 3 — Your Career: Penal Law in Plain English.