Redwood City, CA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Redwood City Code § 33B.3
- Violation class
- Infraction
- First-offense fine cap
- $100
- Second-offense fine cap (1 yr)
- $200
- Third+ offense fine cap (1 yr)
- $500
- Exceptions
- Permitted encroachment events; parklets/sidewalk cafes
- Enacted
- Ord. No. 2560, § 4, 5-11-2026
Summary
Redwood City bans possessing an opened alcoholic beverage container in any public place under Code section 33B.3, with narrow carve-outs for permitted encroachment activities and licensed sidewalk cafes. A first violation is an infraction punishable by up to a $100 fine.
It shall be unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession any bottle, can or other receptacle containing any alcoholic beverage which has been opened, or a seal broken, or the contents of which have been partially removed, in any public place, except in the following permitted situations: A. Special activities subject to an encroachment permit pursuant to Sections 33A.3 and 33A.41 of this Code; B. Outdoor business activity including in parklets and sidewalk cafes authorized pursuant to Section 29.3 Chapter 29 of this Code or pursuant to a conditional use permit pursuant to the Redwood City Zoning Ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 33B, Article I of the Redwood City Code makes it unlawful for any person to have in their possession any bottle, can or other receptacle containing an alcoholic beverage that has been opened, has had its seal broken, or has had its contents partially removed, while in any public place. The prohibition applies citywide and covers sidewalks, parks, parking lots and streets, not just areas near bars. 1 states the Article's purpose is to regulate possession and consumption of alcohol in the City for the safety and comfort of both people who drink and those who live or own property nearby.
), so anything ABC-licensed businesses sell as an alcoholic beverage counts. 3 or under a conditional use permit issued through the Redwood City Zoning Ordinance. Outside those two permitted categories, drinking from or simply carrying an opened container in public is a violation regardless of intoxication level. The chapter was rewritten in its entirety by Ordinance No. 2560, section 4 (Exhibit A), adopted May 11, 2026, which repealed the prior 1999-era Chapter 33B (Ordinance No. 2173) that had regulated alcohol only in commercial districts; the current version applies citywide rather than to a specific zoning district.
Violations & Fines
Violating Section 33B.3 is an infraction under Section 33B.4, punishable per the citywide infraction schedule in Section 1.7B: up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second violation of the same provision within one year, and up to $500 for each additional violation within that year. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I carry an open beer on a Redwood City sidewalk?
What is the fine for an open container violation in Redwood City?
Does the open container ban apply everywhere in the city?
Are sidewalk cafes and parklets exempt from the open container rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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