Disorderly Conduct Laws by State (2026)
How each state charges disorderly conduct and the maximum penalties, from each state criminal code.
| State | Disorderly conduct |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Disorderly conduct means, with intent to cause (or recklessly risking) public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm: fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; unreasonable noise; abusive or obscene language or gestures in public; disturbing a lawful meeting; blocking traffic; or refusing a lawful police order to disperse. It is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a fine up to $500. Merely carrying a holstered or secured pistol in public without brandishing it is not disorderly conduct. Ala. Code §§ 13A-11-7, 13A-5-7, 13A-5-12 |
| Alaska | Disorderly conduct covers making unreasonably loud noise to disturb others' peace and privacy, refusing a peace officer's lawful order to disperse at a crime scene or to leave premises where the person has no right to be, challenging someone to fight or fighting other than in self-defense, recklessly creating a hazardous condition with no legal justification, and intentionally exposing one's buttocks or anus to another. It is a Class B misdemeanor, but any jail sentence is limited to 72 hours for a first conviction and 10 days for a second or later conviction; the Class B misdemeanor fine limit is $2,000. AS 11.61.110; AS 12.55.035 |
| Arizona | Disorderly conduct is, with intent to disturb (or knowing you are disturbing) the peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family or person: fighting or violent or seriously disruptive behavior; unreasonable noise; abusive or offensive language or gestures likely to provoke immediate retaliation; disrupting a lawful meeting; refusing a lawful order to disperse near a fire or other emergency; or recklessly handling, displaying or firing a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. The weapon version is a class 6 felony; all others are a class 1 misdemeanor (up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine). A.R.S. §§ 13-2904, 13-707, 13-802 |
| Arkansas | Disorderly conduct covers acting with the purpose of causing, or recklessly creating a risk of, public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm by fighting or violent, threatening or tumultuous behavior; making unreasonable or excessive noise; using abusive or obscene language or gestures in public likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response; disrupting a lawful assembly; obstructing vehicle or pedestrian traffic; congregating with two or more others and refusing a lawful police order to disperse; creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition; defacing a patriotic or religious symbol in public; or exposing private parts in public. It is a Class C misdemeanor (up to 30 days, up to $500). Ark. Code § 5-71-207; 5-4-401(b)(3); 5-4-201(b)(3) |
| California | California's 'disturbing the peace' offense (Penal Code § 415) covers unlawfully fighting or challenging someone to fight in a public place, maliciously and willfully disturbing another person with loud and unreasonable noise, and using offensive words in a public place that are inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction; for noise, there must be a clear and present danger of immediate violence or the noise must be used to disrupt lawful activities rather than to communicate. It is punishable by up to 90 days in county jail and/or a fine of up to $400. Separate 'disorderly conduct' misdemeanors in Penal Code § 647 include being drunk or high in public and prostitution. Cal. Pen. Code §§ 415, 647; CALCRIM Nos. 2688, 2689 |
| Colorado | Disorderly conduct covers intentionally, knowingly or recklessly: making a coarse and obviously offensive utterance, gesture or display in public that tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace; making unreasonable noise in public or near someone else's home; fighting in public (outside a sports contest); a non-officer firing a gun in public (except lawful target practice, hunting or veterans' funeral salutes); or displaying a real or fake gun, or claiming to be armed, in a public place in a way meant to alarm and that does alarm. Offensive gestures, noise and fighting are petty offenses (up to 10 days and $300), but disrupting a funeral this way is a class 2 misdemeanor; displaying a gun is a class 2 misdemeanor and firing one in public is a class 1 misdemeanor (up to 364 days). C.R.S. § 18-9-106 |
| Connecticut | Disorderly conduct covers acting, with intent to cause (or recklessly risking) inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, by fighting or violent or threatening behavior, annoying or interfering with someone through offensive conduct, making unreasonable noise, disturbing a lawful meeting, blocking traffic, refusing a lawful order to disperse, or peeping into a dwelling while trespassing. It is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The more serious related offense, breach of the peace in the second degree (for example fighting in public, striking someone, threatening a crime, or using abusive or obscene language in a public place), is a Class B misdemeanor (up to six months and $1,000), and breach of the peace in the first degree is a Class D felony. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-180aa, 53a-181, 53a-182, 53a-36, 53a-42 |
| Delaware | Disorderly conduct covers intentionally causing public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm (or creating a risk of it) by fighting or violent or threatening behavior, unreasonable noise or abusive language, disturbing a lawful meeting, blocking traffic, refusing a police order to disperse, creating a hazardous condition, or interfering with a school bus, among other acts. It is an unclassified misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $575 fine. 11 Del. C. §§ 1301, 4206 |
| District of Columbia | Disorderly conduct in D.C. covers, in public places and common areas of apartment buildings, putting someone in reasonable fear of harm, inciting violence, or directing abusive language at someone in a way likely to provoke violence; it also covers disrupting lawful gatherings, religious services, funerals, public transit or business in a public building, unreasonably loud noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., urinating or defecating in public, peeping into a dwelling, and jostling or crowding people in public. It is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine (up to $500), or both. D.C. Code §§ 22-1321, 22-3571.01 |
| Florida | Florida's breach of the peace and disorderly conduct law covers acts that corrupt public morals, outrage the sense of public decency, or disturb the peace and quiet of people who witness them, as well as brawling, fighting, or other conduct that amounts to a breach of the peace or disorderly conduct. It is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Fla. Stat. § 877.03; Fla. Stat. §§ 775.082, 775.083 |
| Georgia | Disorderly conduct covers acting in a violent or tumultuous manner that puts another person in reasonable fear for their life, limb or health, or puts their property at risk of damage; using, without provocation, 'opprobrious or abusive words' to or about another person in that person's presence that would ordinarily be likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction; and using obscene, vulgar or profane language in the presence of, or by phone to, a child under 14 in a way that threatens an immediate breach of the peace. It is a misdemeanor (up to $1,000.00 and up to 12 months in jail (§ 17-10-3)). O.C.G.A. §§ 16-11-39; 17-10-3 |
| Hawaii | Disorderly conduct in Hawaii means acting with intent to cause public inconvenience or alarm (or recklessly risking it) by fighting or threatening or violent behavior, making unreasonable noise, using offensively coarse behavior or abusive language likely to provoke violence, creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition, or obstructing people in public to beg. It is a petty misdemeanor (up to 30 days and $1,000) if the person intends substantial harm or serious inconvenience or keeps going after a reasonable warning to stop; otherwise it is a violation (a non-criminal offense punishable by a fine). HRS § 711-1101; HRS §§ 706-660, 706-663, 706-640 |
| Idaho | Idaho calls disorderly conduct "disturbing the peace." It covers maliciously and willfully disturbing the peace or quiet of a religious gathering, house of worship, neighborhood, family or person by loud or unusual noise, tumultuous or offensive conduct, threatening, quarreling, challenging to fight, fighting, or firing a gun. Willfully disturbing a funeral, memorial service, funeral procession, burial or viewing is also covered. It is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six (6) months in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both under the general misdemeanor penalty. Idaho Code §§ 18-6409 (am. 2026), 18-113 |
| Illinois | Disorderly conduct covers knowingly acting in such an unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and provoke a breach of the peace, plus making false reports such as false fire alarms, false 911 calls, false bomb threats, threats against a school, and peeping into a dwelling for a lewd purpose. The basic breach-of-the-peace form is a Class C misdemeanor (up to 30 days). Peeping and a false report to a public safety agency are Class A misdemeanors; a false fire alarm, school threat, false police report or false 911 call is a Class 4 felony; and a false bomb or poison-gas threat is a Class 3 felony with an added fine of $3,000 to $10,000. The court must also order 30 to 120 hours of community service where available. 720 ILCS 5/26-1(a), (b), (c); 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-65 |
| Indiana | Disorderly conduct is recklessly, knowingly or intentionally fighting or engaging in tumultuous conduct, making unreasonable noise and continuing after being asked to stop, or disrupting a lawful assembly. It is a Class B misdemeanor (up to 180 days and $1,000). It becomes a Level 6 felony if it adversely affects airport security at an airport, or if it is committed within 500 feet of a burial, funeral procession, funeral, memorial service or viewing and adversely affects it. Ind. Code § 35-45-1-3 (IPAC compilation, Indiana Code 2022) |
| Iowa | Disorderly conduct covers fighting or violent behavior in public, loud and raucous noise near a home or public building that intentionally or recklessly causes unreasonable distress, abusive epithets or threatening gestures likely to provoke violence, disrupting a lawful meeting, false reports of fire or catastrophe, and certain disrespectful uses of the U.S. flag; these are simple misdemeanors. Obstructing a street, sidewalk or highway to block its lawful use is a serious misdemeanor; it becomes an aggravated misdemeanor if it blocks a controlled-access highway, damages property or occurs during an unlawful assembly, a class "D" felony if it occurs during a riot or causes bodily injury, and a class "C" felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Iowa Code § 723.4 (Iowa Code 2026) |
| Kansas | Disorderly conduct is brawling or fighting, disturbing a lawful assembly, meeting or procession, or using fighting words or noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment, when the person knows or should know it will alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke an assault or other breach of the peace. "Fighting words" are words that by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. Disorderly conduct is a class C misdemeanor (up to one month in jail and a $500 fine). K.S.A. 21-6203 |
| Kentucky | Disorderly conduct in the second degree is, in a public place and intending to cause (or wantonly risking) public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior, unreasonable noise, refusing an official order to disperse near a fire or other emergency, or creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition for no legitimate purpose. It is a Class B misdemeanor (up to 90 days). It becomes disorderly conduct in the first degree, a Class A misdemeanor (up to 12 months), when done knowingly within 300 feet of a funeral, burial, viewing, funeral procession or memorial service, from one hour before until one hour after the event. KRS 525.060, 525.055 |
| Louisiana | Disorderly conduct is called disturbing the peace in Louisiana. It covers acts done in a way that would foreseeably disturb or alarm the public, such as fist fights, addressing offensive or derisive words to someone in a public place, appearing intoxicated, violent and tumultuous acts by three or more people, unlawful assemblies, and interrupting a lawful assembly. The basic penalty is a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, imprisonment for not more than ninety days, or both. Disrupting a funeral or funeral route carries up to $500 and six months, and disrupting a worship service (added by Acts 2026, No. 115) carries up to $500 and six months with thirty days served without probation, rising to up to two years if a simple battery or property damage is committed and up to five years if the person is armed with a dangerous weapon. La. R.S. 14:103(A), (B) |
| Maine | Disorderly conduct covers, among other things, intentionally making loud and unreasonable noise (including from consumer fireworks), releasing noxious odors, or fighting in a public place in a way that annoys others; accosting or taunting someone with offensive words or gestures likely to provoke a violent response; continuing loud noise in a private place after a police order to stop; and taunting mourners at a funeral, burial or memorial service. Disorderly conduct is a Class E crime, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine up to $1,000. 17-A M.R.S. §§ 501-A, 1604(1), 1704 |
| Maryland | Disorderly conduct (disturbing the peace) includes willfully acting in a disorderly manner that disturbs the public peace, willfully obstructing the free passage of others in a public place or on public transportation without lawful purpose, willfully failing to obey a reasonable and lawful police order made to prevent a disturbance, and willfully disturbing others with unreasonably loud noise on their property, in a public place, or on a public conveyance. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 60 days, a fine not exceeding $500, or both. Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-201(c), (d) |
| Massachusetts | Being a disorderly person or a disturber of the peace is a misdemeanor. For a first offense, the penalty is a fine of not more than $150; for a second or later offense, up to 6 months in a jail or house of correction, a fine of not more than $200, or both. The same statute punishes accosting or annoying another person with offensive and disorderly acts or language by up to 6 months, a fine of not more than $200, or both. A school student may not be adjudged delinquent for disorderly conduct in school buildings, on school grounds or at school events. M.G.L. c. 272, § 53 |
| Michigan | Michigan's disorderly person statute lists specific conduct, including being intoxicated in public while endangering others or causing a public disturbance, engaging in indecent or obscene conduct in public, window peeping, begging in a public place, jostling or roughly crowding people in public, and loitering where prostitution or illegal business is conducted. Being a disorderly person is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, a fine of not more than $500, or both. MCL 750.167(1); MCL 750.168(1) |
| Minnesota | Disorderly conduct is, in a public or private place (including a school bus), knowingly engaging in brawling or fighting, disturbing a lawful assembly or meeting, or engaging in offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous or noisy conduct or language that tends to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others. It is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days and $1,000. A caregiver who commits disorderly conduct against a vulnerable adult faces up to 364 days and $3,000. The Minnesota Supreme Court held the 'disturbs an assembly or meeting' clause unconstitutional in State v. Hensel (2017). Minn. Stat. §§ 609.72, 609.03 |
| Mississippi | Disturbing the public peace or another person's peace by violent, loud, offensive or intimidating conduct or language, or by conduct likely to provoke a breach of the peace, is a misdemeanor punished by a fine of not more than $500, up to six months in county jail, or both (§ 97-35-15); breastfeeding is not a breach of the peace. Called disorderly conduct, knowingly failing to promptly obey a lawful order of a law enforcement officer (such as to leave an area or stop blocking traffic) with intent to cause, or in a way that may lead to, a breach of the peace carries the same penalty, and becomes a felony if done with reckless disregard for safety and someone is injured, maimed or killed (§ 97-35-7). Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-35-15, 97-35-7 |
| Missouri | Disorderly conduct is called peace disturbance in Missouri: unreasonably and knowingly disturbing or alarming others by loud noise, face-to-face offensive language likely to provoke an immediate violent response, threatening a felony, fighting, or creating a noxious odor, or unreasonably blocking traffic or the entrance to a place while in public or on another's property without consent. A first conviction is a class B misdemeanor (up to 6 months and a $1,000 fine); a second or subsequent conviction is a class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year and $2,000). On a third or subsequent conviction the person must pay a fine of $1,000 to $5,000. RSMo § 574.010; §§ 558.002, 558.011 |
| Montana | Disorderly conduct is knowingly disturbing the peace by quarreling or fighting, making loud or unusual noises, using threatening, profane or abusive language, blocking traffic or entrances, disrupting a lawful meeting, giving a false fire or catastrophe report that endangers life, or creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition for no legitimate purpose. It is punishable by a fine up to $100, up to 10 days in county jail, or both. A false report of an impending explosion that endangers life is punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to 1 year in county jail, or both. MCA § 45-8-101 |
| Nebraska | Nebraska's version of disorderly conduct is disturbing the peace: anyone who 'shall intentionally disturb the peace and quiet of any person, family, or neighborhood' commits the offense. It is a Class III misdemeanor, punishable by up to 3 months in jail, a $500 fine, or both. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1322; § 28-106 |
| Nevada | Nevada's general disorderly-conduct offense is breach of peace: maliciously and willfully disturbing the peace or quiet of any neighborhood, person or family by loud or unusual noises, tumultuous and offensive conduct, threatening, traducing, quarreling, challenging to fight, or fighting. It is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 6 months in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both. NRS 203.010; NRS 193.150 |
| New Hampshire | Disorderly conduct covers creating a hazardous condition in public for no legitimate purpose; fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior in public; directing obscene or offensive words at someone in public that are likely to provoke violence; blocking streets, sidewalks or public building entrances; interfering with police, fire or emergency services; refusing a lawful police order to move; making loud or unreasonable noise; disrupting business at a government facility or a lawful meeting; and entering an area closed by police for an emergency. It is a misdemeanor if the conduct continues after a request by any person to stop; otherwise it is a violation (a fine up to $1,000, not a crime). RSA 644:2; RSA 625:9; RSA 651:2 |
| New Jersey | Disorderly conduct covers, with purpose to cause (or recklessly risking) public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm: fighting, threatening, or violent or tumultuous behavior, or creating a hazardous condition that serves no legitimate purpose. Addressing unreasonably loud and offensively coarse or abusive language to someone in a public place to offend them is also covered. Both are petty disorderly persons offenses (up to 30 days in jail and a fine up to $500). It becomes a disorderly persons offense (up to 6 months and up to $1,000) if the person conceals their identity with a mask or disguise during the conduct to instill fear, hinder prosecution or avoid apprehension, or acts to disrupt a public gathering or event. N.J.S. 2C:33-2; N.J.S. 2C:43-8; N.J.S. 2C:43-3 |
| New Mexico | Disorderly conduct in New Mexico covers engaging in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct that tends to disturb the peace, and maliciously disturbing, threatening or, in an insolent manner, intentionally touching any house occupied by any person. It is a petty misdemeanor (up to six months in the county jail, a fine of up to $500, or both, § 31-19-1(B)). NMSA 1978, § 30-20-1; § 31-19-1 |
| New York | Disorderly conduct covers, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm or recklessly creating a risk of it: fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; unreasonable noise; abusive or obscene language or an obscene gesture in a public place; disturbing a lawful assembly or meeting; obstructing vehicle or pedestrian traffic; congregating with others in public and refusing a lawful police order to disperse; or creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition by an act serving no legitimate purpose. 'Disorderly conduct is a violation' — not a crime — punishable by up to 15 days in jail and a fine up to $250. N.Y. Penal Law §§ 240.20, 70.15(4), 80.05(4) |
| North Carolina | Disorderly conduct is a public disturbance intentionally caused by, among other things, fighting or violent conduct (or conduct threatening imminent violence), using words, gestures or displays intended and plainly likely to provoke violent retaliation, or seizing or refusing to leave school or college buildings when ordered. Willfully engaging in disorderly conduct is a Class 2 misdemeanor (1-30 days for a person with no prior convictions, up to 1-60 days with five or more priors, and a fine up to $1,000). Intentionally disrupting a funeral, memorial service or funeral processional (subdivision (8)) is a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense, a Class I felony for a second, and a Class H felony for a third or later offense. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-288.4 |
| North Dakota | Disorderly conduct is a class B misdemeanor (up to 30 days, a $1,500 fine, or both). It covers acting with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another (or in reckless disregard that they are): fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; unreasonable noise; abusive or obscene language or gestures or exposing one's genitals or anus in public; obstructing traffic or a public facility; persistently following someone in public; creating a hazardous or seriously alarming condition with no legitimate purpose; intrusive harassing conduct; and peering into or recording through another's windows. Constitutionally protected activity is excluded. N.D.C.C. § 12.1-31-01; N.D.C.C. § 12.1-32-01 |
| Ohio | Disorderly conduct is recklessly causing inconvenience, annoyance or alarm by fighting, threatening harm, or violent or turbulent behavior; unreasonable noise or offensively coarse or grossly abusive language; insulting or taunting likely to provoke violence; blocking movement of people; or creating a physically offensive or dangerous condition with no lawful purpose. It is a minor misdemeanor (a fine of up to $150, no jail). It becomes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree (up to 30 days and a $250 fine) if the person persists after a reasonable warning, acts near a school or in a school safety zone, or acts in the presence of police, firefighters or emergency workers at an emergency scene or emergency facility staff. R.C. 2917.11; R.C. 2929.14, 2929.18, 2929.24, 2929.28 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma's main disorderly-conduct laws are disturbing the peace and breach of the peace. Willfully or maliciously disturbing the peace of a neighborhood, family or person by loud or unusual noise, abusive, violent, obscene or profane language, threats to kill or injure, fighting or challenging to fight, or firing or brandishing a gun is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), up to thirty (30) days in county jail, or both. Using profane, violent, abusive or insulting language toward someone that is likely to provoke anger or a breach of the peace carries the same penalty. Disturbing a lawful meeting is a separate misdemeanor. 21 O.S. §§ 1361, 1362, 1363 |
| Oregon | Disorderly conduct in the second degree in Oregon covers acting, with intent to cause (or recklessly risking) public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, by fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior, making unreasonable noise, disturbing a lawful assembly, blocking traffic, making a false report of an emergency, or creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition. It is a Class B misdemeanor (up to 6 months in jail and a fine up to $2,500), raised to a Class A misdemeanor within 200 feet of a funeral service. Disorderly conduct in the first degree, falsely reporting a hazardous substance, fire, explosion or other emergency at a court facility or public building, is a Class A misdemeanor, or a Class C felony with a prior conviction for it. ORS 166.023, 166.025; 161.605, 161.615, 161.635 |
| Pennsylvania | Disorderly conduct in Pennsylvania means acting with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating that risk, by fighting or threatening or violent or tumultuous behavior, making unreasonable noise, using obscene language or gestures, or creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition for no legitimate purpose. It is usually a summary offense (up to 90 days and a fine up to $300). It is a misdemeanor of the third degree (up to 1 year and a fine up to $2,500) if the person intended substantial harm or serious inconvenience or kept going after a reasonable warning to stop. 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503; §§ 1101, 1104, 1105 |
| Rhode Island | Disorderly conduct in Rhode Island covers intentionally, knowingly or recklessly fighting or threatening or violent behavior; making loud and unreasonable noise in public or near a residence; directing offensive words at someone in public likely to provoke violence; blocking streets, sidewalks or building entrances; disrupting a lawful meeting or procession; or peering into homes or private areas such as restrooms or changing rooms for a lascivious purpose. It is punishable by up to six (6) months in prison, a fine up to $500, or both. The law does not apply to lawful picketing or demonstrations. R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-45-1 |
| South Carolina | South Carolina's public disorderly conduct law covers being grossly intoxicated or acting in a disorderly or boisterous manner on a highway or at a public place or gathering, using obscene or profane language in public or within hearing of a school or church, and firing a gun near a public road while drunk or pretending to be. It is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or up to thirty days. First-time offenders may receive a conditional discharge with the solicitor's approval. S.C. Code § 16-17-530 |
| South Dakota | Disorderly conduct in South Dakota is intentionally causing serious public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or creating a risk of it, by fighting or violent or threatening behavior, making unreasonable noise, disturbing a lawful meeting, or obstructing traffic. It is a Class 2 misdemeanor (up to thirty days in county jail or a $500 fine, or both). A fourth or later offense within ten years is a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to one year or $2,000, or both). SDCL 22-18-35, 22-6-2 |
| Tennessee | Disorderly conduct covers a person who, in a public place and intending to cause public annoyance or alarm, fights or behaves in a violent or threatening way, refuses to obey an official order to disperse issued to maintain public safety near a fire, hazard or other emergency, or creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by an act that serves no legitimate purpose. Making unreasonable noise that prevents others from carrying on lawful activities is also covered. It is a Class C misdemeanor, the lowest grade of crime in Tennessee, punishable by up to 30 days and/or a $50 fine. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-305; 40-35-111(e)(3) |
| Texas | Disorderly conduct covers acts in public such as abusive or vulgar language or offensive gestures that tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace, threatening someone in an obviously offensive way, unreasonable noise, fighting, creating a noxious odor, reckless exposure, peeping into private areas for a lewd purpose, and certain firearm conduct. Most forms are a Class C misdemeanor (fine up to $500). Discharging a firearm in a public place (other than a public road or sport shooting range) or displaying a firearm or other deadly weapon in a manner calculated to alarm is a Class B misdemeanor (up to 180 days in jail and/or a $2,000 fine). Tex. Penal Code §§ 42.01(a), (d); 12.22; 12.23 |
| Utah | Disorderly conduct covers refusing a police order to leave a public place or official meeting, creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition, and (when intended or reckless as to public annoyance or alarm) fighting or violent or threatening behavior, unreasonable noise, or blocking traffic. A first violation is usually only an infraction (fine up to $750). It becomes a class C misdemeanor if the person was asked to stop, a class B misdemeanor if asked to stop and convicted once in the past five years, and a class A misdemeanor if asked to stop and convicted two or more times in the past five years. Utah Code §§ 76-9-102(2)-(3); 76-3-204; 76-3-301 |
| Vermont | Disorderly conduct means, with intent to cause public inconvenience or annoyance (or recklessly creating that risk), fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior, unreasonable noise, abusive or obscene language in a public place, disturbing a lawful assembly or meeting without authority, or blocking traffic. It is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and/or a $500 fine, and up to 120 days and/or $1,000 for a second or later offense. A course of such conduct aimed at a specific person is a separate offense, aggravated disorderly conduct. 13 V.S.A. §§ 1026, 1026a |
| Virginia | Disorderly conduct means, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm (or recklessly risking it), engaging in conduct in a public place that has a direct tendency to provoke violence by the person it is aimed at, or willfully (or while intoxicated) disrupting a funeral, a government, school or religious meeting, or a school operation or activity. Words or displays alone are not covered. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to 12 months in jail and/or a $2,500 fine); the statute does not apply to K-12 students for conduct on school property or at school activities. Va. Code §§ 18.2-415(A)-(E); 18.2-11(a) |
| Washington | Disorderly conduct covers using abusive language that intentionally creates a risk of assault, intentionally disrupting a lawful meeting or blocking vehicle or pedestrian traffic without authority, and fighting, tumultuous conduct or unreasonable noise within 500 feet of a funeral, burial, viewing or memorial service when the person knows it affects the event. It is a misdemeanor: up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. RCW 9A.84.030; 9A.20.021(3) |
| West Virginia | Disorderly conduct covers disturbing the peace of others in a public place (including public parking areas, state office buildings, mobile home parks and the common areas of apartment buildings, dormitories and commercial centers) by violent, profane, indecent or boisterous conduct or language, or by making unreasonably loud noise meant to annoy or alarm another person, and continuing after a law-enforcement officer asks the person to stop. It is a misdemeanor punishable by 24 hours in jail, a fine of not more than $100, or both. The statute says it is not meant to discourage lawful, orderly public demonstrations. W. Va. Code § 61-6-1b(a) |
| Wisconsin | Disorderly conduct covers engaging in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct, in a public or private place, under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance. It is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000, imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, or both. The statute says that, absent other facts showing criminal or malicious intent, lawfully loading, carrying or going armed with a firearm is not disorderly conduct. Wis. Stat. §§ 947.01, 939.51(3)(b) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming calls disorderly conduct breach of the peace: disturbing the peace of a community or its inhabitants by unreasonably loud noise or music, or by using threatening, abusive or obscene language or violent actions, knowing or having probable cause to believe it will disturb the peace. It is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six (6) months in jail, a fine of up to $750.00, or both. Threatening or harassing phone calls or electronic messages are a separate misdemeanor punishable by up to one (1) year, a fine of up to $1,000.00, or both. W.S. 6-6-102, 6-6-103 |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.