Coral Gables, FL Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 6-15
- Public places covered
- streets, sidewalks, parks, city hall
- Consent authority
- city manager or designee
- Also restricts
- private premises without owner consent
- Max penalty
- $500 fine / 60 days jail
Summary
Drinking alcohol in any street, sidewalk, park, or other public place in Coral Gables is unlawful without the city manager's consent.
It shall be unlawful for any person, without the consent of the city manager or his or her designee, to drink alcoholic beverages in any public place in the city. It shall further be unlawful for any person to drink alcoholic beverages in or upon any automobile, truck, motorcycle or other vehicle, when such vehicle is parked upon any public place without the consent of the city manager or his or her designee. Such consent shall be given by the city manager or his or her designee upon a showing that there is compliance with chapter 62, article VII.(b)The term "public place," as used herein, shall mean streets, sidewalks, parkways, parks, playgrounds, ball fields, school buildings, school yards, city hall, libraries, stadiums and any other property owned or in the possession of the city
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Fee Schedule: Supplement 2 | Zoning Code: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 6-15 bans drinking alcoholic beverages in any public place, defined broadly to include streets, sidewalks, parkways, parks, playgrounds, ball fields, school grounds, city hall, libraries and stadiums, unless the city manager or a designee has consented. The same ban covers drinking inside a parked vehicle on public property. The ordinance goes further than a typical open-container law: it also makes it unlawful to consume alcohol on private premises without the consent of the owner, tenant, or other lawful occupant, and bars drinking in a vehicle parked on private property without that consent. An exception preserves compliance with the state's designated-driver transport law, F.S. § 316.1936.
Violations & Fines
Violating Sec. 6-15 is a Code violation punishable under the city's general penalty provision: up to a $500 fine and/or up to 60 days imprisonment under F.S. § 162.22, or a civil penalty up to $500 under F.S. § 162.21.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink on a Coral Gables sidewalk or in a park?
Does the ban apply to parked cars?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coral Gables
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