Detroit, MI Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Drinking alcohol on streets, sidewalks, alleys
- Exception
- Licensed commercial quadricycle tours only
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 90 days jail
- Enforced by
- Detroit Police Department
- Citation
- Detroit City Code § 31-5-2
Summary
Detroit prohibits drinking alcoholic liquor on any street, sidewalk, alley, or other publicly-owned area, with a narrow exception for licensed commercial quadricycle tours; violators face a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and 90 days in jail.
It shall be unlawful for any person to consume alcoholic liquor on any street, sidewalk, alley, or publicly-owned area, except in accordance with Chapter 47, Article III, of this Code, Commercial Quadricycles.
(Code 1964, § 39-1-7; Code 1984, § 38-5-1; Ord. No. 29-10, § 1(38-5-1), eff. 12-10-2010; Ord. No. 42-16, § 1(38-5-1), eff. 12-22-2016)
State Law reference— Possessing or consuming alcoholic liquor on public highway or in park, place of amusement, or publicly-owned area, MCL 436.1915.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Section 31-5-2 of the Detroit City Code makes it unlawful to consume alcoholic liquor on any street, sidewalk, alley, or publicly-owned area anywhere in the city, with the sole exception being consumption in accordance with the Commercial Quadricycles provisions of Chapter 47, Article III. The Detroit Police Department enforces the ban citywide. Because the chapter's general penalty section, 31-1-1, does not list 31-5-2 among its carve-outs, a violation is prosecuted as a standalone misdemeanor: a court may impose a fine of up to $500.00, up to 90 days in jail, or both, for each violation issued, and a new violation can be issued for each day it continues.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor citation for each violation issued (a new one may issue daily); court may impose a fine up to $500.00, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink a beer while walking down a Detroit street?
Is there any exception to Detroit's public drinking ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Detroit
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Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle public alcohol use.