Salt Lake City, UT Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 11.12.065
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor
- Covers
- Streets, sidewalks, public property
- Exception
- Licensed/permitted premises
Summary
Salt Lake City bans opening, possessing, or drinking from an open alcohol container in unpermitted public places like streets, sidewalks, and public property.
Unlawful To Have Open Containers Of Alcohol In Designated Areas: No person shall open, possess, or consume from an open bottle, can or other receptacle containing an alcoholic beverage in an unpermitted public place. ... Penalty: An offense under this section is designated as a class C misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City code makes it unlawful to open, possess, or consume from an open bottle, can, or other receptacle containing alcohol in an "unpermitted public place": streets, rights of way, sidewalks, alleys, publicly owned property, boarded/abandoned commercial buildings, vacant commercially zoned lots, and other public buildings or property. The ban doesn't apply where a city license or permit specifically authorizes alcohol possession or consumption, in conformance with its terms.
Violations & Fines
Violating the open container ban is a class C misdemeanor, the city's lowest misdemeanor tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I carry an open beer on a Salt Lake City sidewalk?
Are any public alcohol events exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah public conduct overview
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Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle public alcohol use.