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New York statute

N.Y. Penal Law § 245.01 — Exposure of a person

Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)

Part of Article 245: Offenses Against Public Sensibilities, New York Penal Law.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 245.01

Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.

N.Y. Penal Law § 245.01Primary source, current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
245.01 Exposure of a person. A person is guilty of exposure if he appears in a public place in such a manner that the private or intimate parts of his body are unclothed or exposed. For purposes of this section, the private or intimate parts of a female person shall include that portion of the breast which is below the top of the areola. This section shall not apply to the breastfeeding of infants or to any person entertaining or performing in a play, exhibition, show or entertainment. Exposure of a person is a violation. Nothing in this section shall prevent the adoption by a city, town or village of a local law prohibiting exposure of a person as herein defined in a public place, at any time, whether or not such person is entertaining or performing in a play, exhibition, show or entertainment.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is exposure of a person a crime in New York?

Exposure of a person is a violation in New York, and a violation is not a crime under New York Penal Law § 10.00(6) — a conviction is a noncriminal disposition, not a criminal conviction. Exposure of a person is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 245.01.

Which New York statute covers exposure of a person?

Exposure of a person is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 245.01 (Exposure of a person).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.