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Provo, UT Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Provo City Code 9.30.040
Mall boundary
Center St., 500 West to 100 East
Open container status
Unlawful, misdemeanor
Consumption status
Unlawful, misdemeanor
Related parking curfew
No parking 2-5 a.m. (9.30.030)

Summary

Provo City Code 9.30.040 makes drinking alcohol or carrying an open container a misdemeanor anywhere within the Center Street pedestrian mall, from 500 West to 100 East. The ban is paired with rules against blocking traffic and unlawful congregation.

The following activities shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor if done within the perimeter of the pedestrian mall:

(1) The consumption of alcoholic beverages;

(2) Possession of an open container of alcoholic beverage;

(3) The interference with vehicular traffic by shouting, threatening, obscene or quarrelsome words or acts on the part of pedestrians or occupants of another vehicle;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).

Full Breakdown

010 covering Center Street from the east right-of-way line of 500 West to the west right-of-way line of 100 East, including sidewalks, curb and gutter, on-street parking, travel lanes, and the pedestrian center strip. Within that entire right-of-way, Subsection (1) bans consuming alcoholic beverages outright, and Subsection (2) separately bans mere possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage, so a person doesn't need to be drinking to violate the Section. 040 is classified as unlawful and a misdemeanor, the same tier applied to interfering with traffic through shouting or threatening language, unlawful congregation that blocks pedestrian or vehicle movement, destroying mall improvements (including overhanging storefronts), inciting a riot or disturbance, and making a U-turn or crossing a raised barrier within the mall.

except for permitted delivery and City cleaning vehicles, with unlawfully parked vehicles in that window declared a nuisance and towed at the owner's expense. 060 unless the City Parking Committee authorizes otherwise. 030 traffic provisions in the same chapter).

Violations & Fines

Consuming alcohol or possessing an open container within the Center Street Mall perimeter is a misdemeanor under Provo City Code 9.30.040. The same Section makes traffic interference, unlawful congregation, and destruction of mall improvements misdemeanors as well, all enforceable by Provo Police within the designated mall boundary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I carry a beer in a paper bag on Center Street downtown?
No. Provo City Code 9.30.040(2) bans possessing an open container of an alcoholic beverage anywhere within the Center Street Mall perimeter, from 500 West to 100 East, even if you aren't actively drinking it.
Is this open-container ban citywide or just downtown?
It's limited to the Center Street Mall right-of-way designated under Section 9.30.010, covering the street, sidewalks, curb and gutter, and parking areas between 500 West and 100 East, not the entire city.
What else is banned in the Center Street Mall besides alcohol?
Section 9.30.040 also bans interfering with traffic through shouting or threats, unlawful congregation blocking movement, destroying mall improvements, inciting a riot, and making a U-turn or crossing a raised barrier within the mall.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Provo

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