Rochester, MN Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)

Chapter 8-12, titled the 'Social Host Ordinance' in Sec. 8-12-1(c), targets adults who host or allow underage drinking even when they did not supply the alcohol. Sec. 8-12-2 defines an 'event or gathering' as any group of three or more people assembled for a social occasion, and 'host or allow' to mean aiding, conducting, entertaining, organizing, supervising, controlling or permitting the event, at a residence or any other public or private property, including a yard, field, park, hotel room or hall. Sec. 8-12-3(a) makes it unlawful to host or allow a gathering where alcohol is present if the host knows, or reasonably should know, that an underage person is possessing or consuming it and fails to prevent that.

Sec. 8-12-3(c) states the host does not even have to be physically present at the gathering to be criminally responsible, and subsection (b) extends liability to anyone who intentionally aids, advises, hires, counsels or conspires with another to commit the violation. A violation is a misdemeanor under subsection (d). Sec. 2-percent malt liquor licensees and municipal liquor stores regulated separately under state law, supervised law enforcement activity, underage employees lawfully handling alcohol at work, and landlords, mortgagees, colleges, universities, hotels or motels that did not actually participate in hosting the gathering. The chapter is enacted under the city's authority in Minn. 221, subd. 32.