United States open container laws

In the United States, open container laws regulate or prohibit the existence of open containers of alcohol in certain areas, as well as the active consumption of alcohol in those areas. "Public places" in this context refers to openly public places such as sidewalks, parks and vehicles. It does not include nominally private spaces which are open to the public, such as bars, restaurants and stadiums. The purpose of these laws is to restrict public intoxication, especially the dangerous act of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Open container laws are state laws, rather than federal laws; thus they vary from state to state.

Open containers in public

The bare majority of U.S. states and localities prohibit possessing and/or consuming an open container of alcohol in public places, such as on the street, while 24 states do not have statutes regarding public consumption of alcohol.[1] However, the definition of "public place" is not always clear. California is unique in that it does have a state law on the books, but similar to states that have no law, the state law only applies to areas in which the "city, county, or city and county have enacted an ordinance."[2]

Open container restrictions are not always rigorously enforced, and open containers may in fact be legally permitted in nominally private events which are open to the public. This is especially true in downtown districts and during holidays and sporting events; see tailgate party.

Places where legal

There are a few public places in the United States where open containers are always permitted in the street:

Open containers in vehicles

Prohibition of Open Containers of Alcohol in Motor Vehicles as of 2009

To comply with the TEA-21 rules of the federal Department of Transportation, a state's motor vehicle open container laws must:

Currently, 39 states and the District of Columbia are in compliance.[16] Alaska, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Wyoming have similar limits on the possession of open containers in vehicles, but not to the level of TEA-21 compliance.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. "OPEN CONTAINER AND OPEN CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL STATE STATUTES". National Conference of State Legislatures. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. "California Business and Professions Code Section 25620 - California Attorney Resources - California Laws". Law.onecle.com. 2013-02-22. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  3. http://www.kbzk.com/news/ordinance-banning-open-containers-of-alcohol-in-butte-now-a-reality/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Post, Justin (5 November 2007). "Officials reconsider alcohol ordinance: Open container proposal may go different way". The Montana Standard. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  5. Montana Code Annotated 61-8-460, 2005, at http://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/61/8/61-8-460.htm
  6. Section 311.086, Revised Statutes of Missouri
  7. Sections 10-134 and 10-135, Kansas City Code of Ordinances
  8. Rick Alm, "Drinking to be allowed on street in Power & Light District," The Kansas City Star, July 27, 2005
  9. https://library.municode.com/HTML/16214/level2/TIT12PUPESAMO_CH12.35PALIDR.html#TIT12PUPESAMO_CH12.35PALIDR_12.35.010UNHE
  10. https://library.municode.com/HTML/16214/level2/TIT12PUPESAMO_CH12.43BECOST.html#TIT12PUPESAMO_CH12.43BECOST_12.43.020PONLWHWH
  11. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:300(B)(3)(b).
  12. Savannah City Code Section 6-1215
  13. "City of Hood River". Ci.hood-river.or.us. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  14. "ORS 811.170 - Violation of open container law - 2011 Oregon Revised Statutes". Oregonlaws.org. 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  15. "In Erie, no open-container law said to boost downtown". goerie.com. 2014-08-04. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "U.S. Department of Transportation - NHTSA - Open Container Laws and Alcohol Involved Crashes: Some Preliminary Data - DOT HS 809 426 - April 2002". Nhtsa.dot.gov. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
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