Lakewood, CO Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned
- Open container in public places
- Also banned
- On private property w/o permission
- Exceptions
- Block party permit, park permit
- Penalty
- Up to $2,650 and/or 365 days
Summary
Lakewood, Colorado bars possessing an open container of alcohol or drinking in any public street, sidewalk, or parking lot, and on private property without the owner's permission.
It is unlawful for any person to possess any open container containing any amount of ethyl alcohol or to consume any ethyl alcohol on any public highway, street, alley, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public place; or upon any private property without the permission of the owner or person in lawful possession and control of such property or such person's agent. This provision shall not apply to any public highway, street alley sidewalk, or other public place for which a block party permit has been issued by the City Clerk's Office or to possession or consumption of a fermented malt beverage by a person 21 years of age or older in any park or recreation area of the city when permitted by Section 9.32.090 or Section 9.32.100 of the Lakewood Municipal Code.
(Ord. O-2001-12 § 2, 2001; Ord. O-87-73 § 1 (part), 1987).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 14 | Zoning Ordinance: ?).
Full Breakdown
Municipal Code § 9.41.020 makes it unlawful in Lakewood to possess an open container of alcohol or to consume any alcohol on a public highway, street, alley, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public place, and also on private property without the owner's or lawful occupant's permission. The ban has narrow carve-outs: a City Clerk's Office block party permit for the specific street, and permitted consumption of fermented malt beverages by adults 21 and older in parks under §§ 9.32.090-.100. A related but separate section, § 9.41.030, caps the fine for an open container inside a vehicle at $150.
Violations & Fines
Drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol on any Lakewood street, sidewalk, or public place, or on private property without permission, violates § 9.41.020 and, absent a fine stated in that section, carries the general Title 9 penalty of up to a $2,650 fine and/or 365 days' imprisonment under § 1.16.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jefferson County handle public alcohol use.