Charleston, SC Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Section 3-31 of the alcoholic beverages chapter states plainly that no person shall transport or possess an open container of beer, wine, or alcoholic beverage on their person or in a motor vehicle, nor consume any beer, wine, or alcoholic beverage on the streets, sidewalks, alleys, or public ways of the city, except as the article otherwise provides. The main exception is a group-function permit: § 3-32 lets a person consume or possess alcohol on a street, sidewalk, park, playground, alley, public way, or public parking lot at a group function once a permit is obtained from the chief of police.

The application under § 3-33 must be filed at least 3 days but no more than 30 days before the event, and § 3-34 requires it to list the applicant, the sponsoring organization, the responsible chairman, the date, exact location, expected attendance, and start/end hours. The chief of police must act within 2 days of filing under § 3-35, and can deny an application only on specific grounds listed in § 3-36, such as risk of disrupting traffic, over-taxing police resources, or creating a disorder or littering hazard.

m. A denial can be appealed to city council within 48 hours under § 3-38, and the chief of police may offer an alternate day, time, or location instead of denying outright under § 3-39. Separately, possessing alcohol at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium requires its own facility permit under § 3-32(b).