A person commits the crime of indecent exposure by exposing the person’s body or private parts (usually genitals, anus, buttocks, or female breasts) in a public place and in the presence of another person who might be offended, alarmed, or annoyed. Laws vary from state to state—including definitions of exposed body parts—and some states require the exposure to have been made with the intent to attract attention or to sexually gratify the person making the indecent exposure, or to sexually gratify another person, or to offend another person.

Indecent exposure laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In California, indecent exposure is defined under California Penal Code Section 314. A person commits the crime of indecent exposure when they willfully expose their genitals to someone else, motivated by a desire to sexually gratify themselves or offend the other person, in a public place or in any place where there are other persons present who may be offended or annoyed by the actions. The law requires that the exposure is done with the intent to draw public attention to the genitals for sexual gratification or to offend. A first offense is typically charged as a misdemeanor, which can result in up to six months in county jail and a fine. However, if the person has prior convictions for the same offense, or if the indecent exposure is committed after entering an inhabited dwelling without consent, it can be charged as a felony, leading to more severe penalties. Additionally, a conviction for indecent exposure in California requires the individual to register as a sex offender under California's Sex Offender Registration Act.