Lynnwood, WA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Open container
- Unlawful in any public place
- Public drinking
- Prohibited except under state law
- Licensed premises exempt
- State-licensed restaurants/bars excluded
- Default penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 90 days jail
- Retail closing hours
- 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Summary
Lynnwood bars anyone from carrying an open or unsealed container of liquor or beer in a public place and separately bans drinking intoxicating liquor in public, under LMC §§ 10.60.090 and 10.60.100, though licensed restaurants and bars serving under a state license are excluded.
It is unlawful for any person to have in his possession or control an open or unsealed container of intoxicating liquor or beer in a public place, public place being defined in LMC 10.04.710. ... Except as permitted under state law, the drinking of intoxicating liquors in any public place in the city is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
100 separately prohibits the actual drinking of intoxicating liquor in any public place in the city, except as permitted under state law. 110 is broad: streets and alleys, school grounds, public dance halls, soft drink establishments, public buildings and meeting halls, hotel lobbies and dining rooms, theaters, stores, garages and filling stations open to unrestricted public access, railroad stations and trains, and publicly owned beaches, parks and playgrounds. The same section carves out an exception for public restaurants and other establishments licensed by the state of Washington to serve intoxicating liquors, so a bar or restaurant operating under its state liquor license is not swept in by the open-container and public-drinking bans, and neither is medication prepared by a registered pharmacist under a doctor's prescription.
020). These provisions apply within Lynnwood city limits in Snohomish County, Washington; they do not reach unincorporated county land, which falls under Snohomish County's own code.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 10.60 does not print its own fine for §§ 10.60.090 and 10.60.100 (the old penalty section, § 10.60.130, was repealed by Ord. 1852), so violations default to LMC § 10.02.080's general misdemeanor schedule: up to a $1,000 fine, 90 days in jail, or both, unless state law sets a different penalty for the same offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I carry an open beer down a Lynnwood street?
Does the ban apply inside a bar or restaurant?
What is the penalty for public drinking in Lynnwood?
Are parks and beaches covered by the open-container rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
Compare Lynnwood to another location·View the Washington public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle public alcohol use.