Burlington Code Chapter 27 prohibits open containers of alcohol on public streets, sidewalks, parks, and parking areas, with limited exemptions for permitted special events on Church Street Marketplace and other approved venues.
Drinking alcoholic beverages or possessing an open container in public rights-of-way, parks, and Church Street Marketplace is prohibited absent a special-event liquor permit issued by the Burlington Liquor Control Commission. The Church Street Marketplace and Waterfront Park host periodic Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas, and licensed sidewalk cafes may serve within their roped boundary. Police regularly enforce open-container prohibitions during summer events, on the Burlington Bike Path, and in residential neighborhoods near UVM during weekends.
Open-container offenses are civil ordinance violations carrying fines starting around $100 plus court fees. Repeat offenses or combined disorderly conduct can elevate to criminal misdemeanor charges.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Burlington, VT
Burlington Code of Ordinances §21-13 sets citywide quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM, during which noise plainly audible between apartments or houses is d...
Burlington, VT
Burlington's Comprehensive Development Ordinance limits fences in the First Lot Layer (front yard) to 4 feet and fences in Second and Third Lot Layers (side ...
Burlington, VT
Burlington Comprehensive Development Ordinance (CDO) Article 5 treats storage sheds as accessory structures incidental to a residential use. Sheds may encroa...
Burlington, VT
Burlington's short-term rental ordinance (Chapter 18, adopted 2022) requires hosts to disclose at registration the number of vehicles used by residents and g...
Burlington, VT
Burlington short-term rental hosts must comply with citywide noise rules in Burlington Code of Ordinances Chapter 21, Section 21-13. Quiet hours run 10:00 p....
Burlington, VT
Residential swimming pool barriers in Burlington are governed by the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code, adopted by the Vermont Division of Fire Safety un...
See how Burlington's public alcohol use rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.