Solano County, CA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Drinking ban
- § 17-41, streets, sidewalks, public places
- Excluded areas
- Beaches and parks (from § 17-41 ban)
- Open container
- § 17-42, separate prohibition
- Drinking penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 / 6 months
- Open container penalty
- Infraction, up to $250
Summary
Drinking alcohol on a public street, sidewalk, or any place open to the public in unincorporated Solano County is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, while carrying an open, unsealed container in those places is a separate infraction with a $250 cap. Beaches and parks are excluded from the drinking ban.
It is unlawful for any person to consume any alcoholic beverage in or upon any of the following places in the unincorporated area of Solano County: (a) Any public highway or street; (b) Any public sidewalk or way; (c) Any public place, except beaches and parks; and (d) Any place open to the public.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1868, passed April 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Solano County Code Section 17-41 makes it unlawful to consume any alcoholic beverage in or upon any public highway or street, any public sidewalk or way, any public place except beaches and parks, or any place open to the public in the unincorporated area. The board of supervisors can carve out exceptions by resolution for specific public property or places, provided notice of the exception is posted, and the section notes that drinking on public school property is instead governed by Business and Professions Code Section 25608.
Section 17-42 separately bars possessing any can, bottle, or other container of alcohol that has been opened, has a broken seal, or has had its contents partially removed, in any public property or place where Section 17-41 prohibits consumption. Section 17-40 defines 'alcoholic beverage' broadly to include alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, beer, and any other beverage containing more than one-half of one percent alcohol by volume, so low-alcohol beverages like hard seltzer and most beers fall within the ban. Because beaches and parks are excluded from Section 17-41's drinking prohibition, county parks and river beaches are not covered by this particular ordinance, though separate park rules under Chapter 19 can restrict alcohol and tobacco use within park boundaries under Section 19-190.
Violations & Fines
Section 17-43 makes a Section 17-41 violation, drinking in a prohibited public place, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both. A Section 17-42 violation, possessing an open container in a prohibited area, is only an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than $250. The split in severity means simply carrying an open can draws a lighter penalty than actually drinking from it in the same restricted location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink a beer on a public sidewalk in unincorporated Solano County?
Is having an unopened bottle of wine in public illegal in Solano County?
Does the Solano County open-container law apply at county parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Solano County
California rules heatmap·Compare Solano County to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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