Los Angeles County, CA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited act
- Consuming alcohol in public places
- Citation
- LA County Code § 13.18.010
- Charge level
- Misdemeanor
- Where it applies
- Unincorporated LA County only
- Related rule
- Opened-container ban near off-sale stores
Summary
Drinking beer, wine, or any other intoxicating beverage on a public street, sidewalk, alley, highway, or public parking lot in unincorporated Los Angeles County is a misdemeanor under County Code § 13.18.010: a rule separate from each incorporated city's own open-container ordinance.
Every person who consumes any beer, wine or other intoxicating beverage on any public street, sidewalk, alley, highway or parking lot open to the public is guilty of a misdemeanor. This section shall not be deemed to proscribe any act which is positively permitted or prohibited by any law of the state of California.
Full Breakdown
Los Angeles County Code § 13.18.010 makes it a misdemeanor for any person to consume beer, wine, or any other intoxicating beverage on a public street, sidewalk, alley, highway, or a parking lot open to the public. The section applies within the county's unincorporated territory and expressly does not override any act that California state law separately permits or prohibits. A related provision, § 13.18.100, bars carrying an already-opened alcohol container onto or near the posted premises of an off-sale liquor store, with escalating infraction fines starting at $50 for a first offense.
Violations & Fines
Consuming alcohol on a public street, sidewalk, alley, highway, or public parking lot is charged as a misdemeanor under § 13.18.010; carrying an opened container at a posted off-sale liquor store draws a separate $50–$250 escalating infraction fine under § 13.18.100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this ban apply in the City of Los Angeles?
What counts as a public place under this rule?
Are there exceptions to the ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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