Public Alcohol Use
Public Conduct
LAMC §41.27 + CA Bus & Prof §25620 prohibit drinking alcohol on public streets, sidewalks, parks, and beaches; penalties and special-event exemptions.
How Public Alcohol Use Rules Differ by Place
Vestavia Hills, AL: Vestavia Hills Public Drinking Ban
Heavy RestrictionsVestavia Hills bans drinking or holding an open container of liquor, wine or beer in any public place inside the city or its police jurisdiction. The only exception is inside a retail…
Yuma, AZ: Yuma Open Container Law
Heavy RestrictionsYuma bans consuming alcohol in public under City Code Section 71-02: no one may drink spirituous liquors in, upon or adjacent to any public thoroughfare, right-of-way, common mall area…
White County, AR: No Alcohol at White County Fairgrounds
Heavy RestrictionsWhite County bans possessing alcoholic beverages, along with firearms, anywhere on White County Fairground property in unincorporated White County. Anyone caught with alcohol on the…
Westfield, IN: Westfield Grand Junction Plaza Alcohol Rule
Few RestrictionsGrand Junction Plaza is Westfield's one park where drinking and carrying an open container of alcohol is allowed, so long as the user does not run afoul of the Indiana Criminal Code's…
St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Open Container and Public Drinking
Few RestrictionsSt. Louis allows open containers of alcohol on public sidewalks and streets in much of downtown and Soulard, but bans drinking in vehicles, city parks (without permit), and during…
Irving, TX: Irving Open Container and Public Drinking Rules
Few RestrictionsIrving has enacted no city ordinance against open containers or drinking alcohol in public. The subject is left to Texas state law: Penal Code Section 49.031 makes possessing an open…
Cities & Counties with Public Alcohol Use Rules
1067 locations
Alabama
Arizona
California
Missouri
Other Public Conduct Topics
Aggressive Panhandling
LAMC §41.59 prohibits panhandling that involves intimidation, blocking, or following a person, including penalties and how it differs from passive solicitation.
Public Urination
LAMC §41.47.2 prohibits urinating or defecating in public, including the citation amount, exemptions for medical conditions, and where to find restroom alternatives.
Skateboarding Rules
LAMC §56.15 and §63.44 limits on skateboarding on sidewalks, in parks, and in commercial corridors, including helmet requirements and skate-park designations.
Loud Party Ordinance
LAMC §41.40 unruly-gathering ordinance allowing police to cite hosts for second-response calls, including escalating fines and permit-revocation triggers.
Loitering Rules
Constitutional limits on loitering ordinances post-Papachristou and Morales, and what conduct LA can still penalize (e.g., loitering with intent to commit specific crimes).
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
LAMC §41.50 + LA County smoking bans in parks, beaches, restaurants, outdoor dining, and within 25 ft of business entrances; enforcement and signage rules.
Jaywalking
CA AB-2147 (Freedom to Walk Act, 2023) restricting jaywalking citations to immediate-danger situations, and how LAPD enforces the new standard.
Public Marijuana Use
CA Health & Safety Code §11362.3 prohibits cannabis use in public, including parks, sidewalks, and inside vehicles; penalties and consumption-lounge exceptions.