Akron, OH Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 91.07
- Applies to
- Public places and vehicles
- Exception
- Alcohol sold for on-site use
- Offense class
- Misdemeanor, 4th degree
- State authority
- R.C. § 4301.62
Summary
Akron bars carrying an open container of beer or liquor in public. City Code § 91.07 makes it illegal to possess an opened container in any public place unless bought there for on-site drinking, or in a vehicle on any street or lot open to public travel, whether the car is moving or parked.
A.As used in this section, "highway" and "motor vehicle" have the same meanings as in § 70.01.B.No person shall have in his possession an opened container of beer or intoxicating liquor in any of the following circumstances:1.In any public place unless lawfully sold and purchased for consumption on the premises;2.While operating or being a passenger in or on a motor vehicle on any highway or other public or private property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking;3.While being in or on a stationary motor vehicle on any highway or other public or private property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
01. It bans possessing an opened container of beer or intoxicating liquor in three situations. First, in any public place, unless the alcohol was lawfully sold there for consumption on the premises, the carve-out for bars and restaurants with a liquor permit. Second, while operating or riding in a motor vehicle on any highway, street, parking lot, or other property open to public vehicular travel, so a passenger with an open can is covered even if the driver isn't drinking. Third, the ban also reaches a stationary vehicle in those same public places, closing the option of parking to drink rather than driving.
09's ban on "bottle clubs" that let people bring their own liquor to drink on site. Enforcement is handled by the Akron Police Division, usually through a citation issued when an officer observes an open can, bottle, or cup in a public place or vehicle. 62, and Akron adopted its current version through Ordinance 670-1990, amending earlier versions from Ordinance 117-1986 and Ordinance 369-1985.
Violations & Fines
Under § 91.99(D), a violation of § 91.07 is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, one of the more serious classes in the alcohol chapter (only §§ 91.02 and 91.13, first-degree misdemeanors, carry a stiffer classification). The case is prosecuted in Akron Municipal Court and can result in fines and, unlike a minor misdemeanor, a jail term for a fourth-degree offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink a beer while sitting in a parked car in Akron?
Is it legal to carry an open drink from a bar onto an Akron sidewalk?
What charge do I face for an Akron open-container violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
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