Knox County, TN Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited item
- any opened alcohol container in passenger area
- Applies to
- both drivers and passengers
- Exception
- unopened manufacturer's original container
- Fine range
- $50.00 to $500.00
- Excluded area
- cargo space behind last seat in trucks/vans
- Ordinance origin
- Ord. No. O-90-9-112, amended 1993
Summary
Neither drivers nor passengers may keep an open alcoholic beverage or beer in the passenger area of a vehicle anywhere in unincorporated Knox County. Only a manufacturer's unopened original container is allowed there, and violating the ban carries a fine between $50 and $500.
Passenger area of any motor vehicle means the area designed to seat the driver and passengers and any area within the reach of the seated driver or passenger, including the glove department. In a truck, station wagon, van or hatchback, the area behind the last passenger seat shall not be considered a part of the passenger area of any motor vehicle. (b)No driver may transport, carry, possess, or have any alcoholic beverage or beer within the passenger area of any motor vehicle operating within the borders of the county in any container other than the manufacturer's unopened original container, except as provided in subsection (a) of this section.(c)No passenger may carry, possess or have any alcoholic beverage or beer within the passenger area of any motor vehicle operating upon the roads of the county in any container other than the manufacturer's unopened original container, except as provided in subsection (a) of this section.(d)A violation of this section shall be punishable by the imposition of a penalty of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
Section 62-17 of the county traffic code bans open containers of alcoholic beverages or beer inside a motor vehicle's passenger area, defined as the space designed to seat the driver and passengers plus anything within a seated occupant's reach, including the glove compartment. In trucks, station wagons, vans or hatchbacks, the code specifically excludes the area behind the last passenger seat from that definition, so alcohol stored in an enclosed cargo area or bed is not covered by the ban. Subsection (b) prohibits the driver from transporting, carrying, possessing or having any alcoholic beverage or beer in the passenger area except in the manufacturer's unopened original container, and subsection (c) applies the identical rule to every passenger.
The ordinance, adopted as Ord. No. O-90-9-112 in 1990 and amended by Ord. No. O-93-5-101 in 1993, applies to any motor vehicle operating on the roads of the county, not just while the vehicle is moving on a public roadway. Because the section sits in Chapter 62's general provisions rather than the parking or equipment articles, county sheriff's deputies enforce it under their general traffic authority set out in Sec. 62-83, and citations are written and processed the same way as other traffic offenses under Sec. 62-84.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Sec. 62-17 is punishable by a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00, assessed per occurrence rather than per container. The statute does not set a mandatory minimum above that floor, leaving the exact amount to the general sessions court within the stated range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a passenger drink an open beer in my car in Knox County even if I'm the sober driver?
Is it legal to keep a sealed six-pack in the passenger area?
Does the ban cover alcohol stored in my truck bed or cargo area?
What is the penalty for a first open-container violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knox County
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