Camarillo, CA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered locations
- Streets, sidewalks, parks, unconsented private property
- Alcohol threshold
- 0.5% ABV or more
- Permitted exception
- Permitted park social gatherings
- Penalty default
- Misdemeanor or graduated infraction
Summary
Camarillo bans drinking or holding an open container of alcohol on streets, sidewalks, alleys, school grounds, city-owned buildings, posted park areas, and even private property without the owner's consent. Section 10.30.010 covers virtually every public space in the city; Section 10.30.020 carves out permitted park gatherings and licensed events on government property.
A.No person may drink any alcoholic beverages, or hold or exercise possession or control of any open container containing any such alcoholic beverages:1.On any street, sidewalk, highway or alley;2.On any public school ground, bleacher or stadium;3.In any public place, place of public assembly, or in any place open to the public, except as set forth in subsection F. [6.];4.In or on any building or premises owned or occupied by the city or any other governmental agency;5.On any private street, building or other private property within the city without the consent of the person or entity in possession or control of the private property; or6.In any area within any public park posted to prohibit consumption of such beverages.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
010, adopted under Ordinance 1084 in 2014, bans drinking alcohol or holding an open container of it across a long list of locations: streets, sidewalks, highways, and alleys; public school grounds, bleachers, or stadiums; any public place, place of public assembly, or place open to the public; buildings or premises owned or occupied by the city or another government agency; any area of a public park posted to prohibit alcohol; and even private streets, buildings, or property within the city if the person in possession or control of that property has not consented.
'Alcoholic beverages' is defined broadly to include alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, and beer, and any liquid or solid containing at least one-half of one percent alcohol by volume that is fit for beverage purposes. 020 sets the exceptions: drinking is allowed in a public park when a group or organization has secured any necessary permit for a social gathering, and it is allowed on city-owned or city-controlled premises or right-of-way where the sale or dispensing of alcohol is separately licensed and the agency has approved it. 070 with fines that step up from one hundred to five hundred dollars for repeat violations within a year.
Violations & Fines
Open-container and public-drinking violations carry no chapter-specific fine, so the citywide default in Chapter 1.12 applies: a misdemeanor under Section 1.12.060 punishable by up to a thousand-dollar fine and six months in county jail, or an infraction under Section 1.12.070 starting at up to one hundred dollars and increasing to five hundred dollars for a third violation within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink on my own driveway or yard in Camarillo?
Can a group drink alcohol at a Camarillo park picnic?
Does the open container law apply to sidewalks outside bars?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Camarillo
California rules heatmap·Compare Camarillo to another location·View the California public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle public alcohol use.