Penal Law § 245.00

Public lewdness · as in force on May 31, 2026

§ 245.00 Public lewdness.

A person is guilty of public lewdness when he or she intentionally exposes the private or intimate parts of his or her body in a lewd manner or commits any other lewd act: (a) in a public place, or (b) (i) in private premises under circumstances in which he or she may readily be observed from either a public place or from other private premises, and with intent that he or she be so observed, or (ii) while trespassing, as defined in section 140.05 of this part, in a dwelling as defined in subdivision three of section 140.00 of this part, under circumstances in which he or she is observed by a lawful occupant.

Public lewdness is a class B misdemeanor.

Official sourcehttps://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/245.00

In plain English

Intentionally exposing intimate parts lewdly or committing another lewd act is public lewdness when done:

(a) In public; or
(b) On private premises while intending and readily able to be seen from public or other private premises, or while trespassing under § 140.05 in a dwelling under § 140.00(3) and observed by a lawful occupant. ★

The offense is a class B misdemeanor.

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.