A person generally commits the criminal offense of public lewdness or lewd conduct in public if the person knowingly engages in any of the following acts in a public place—or, if not in a public place, the person is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by the person’s (1) act of sexual intercourse; (2) act of deviate sexual intercourse; (3) act of sexual contact with a person’s own private parts or those of another.

Public lewdness laws vary from state to state, and some states define and charge such criminal offenses under indecent exposure laws. Public lewdness is usually a misdemeanor offense, but may be a felony offense under some circumstances. And in some states a conviction for public lewdness may require the defendant to register as a sex offender.

In Nevada, public lewdness is typically addressed under the state's laws prohibiting open or gross lewdness and indecent exposure. Under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 201.210, a person who commits any open and gross lewdness, except for the act of prostitution, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor for the first offense. Subsequent offenses can be treated as a category D felony. Additionally, NRS 201.220 covers indecent exposure, stating that a person who makes any open and indecent or obscene exposure of his or her person, or the person of another, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor for the first offense and a category D felony for any subsequent offense. Depending on the circumstances, such as the presence of minors, the penalties can be more severe. While public lewdness is generally a misdemeanor, repeated offenses can lead to felony charges. Moreover, depending on the nature of the act and the presence of aggravating factors, a conviction could potentially require the defendant to register as a sex offender under Nevada law.