Tazewell County, IL Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 111.09, unincorporated county
- Open-container rule
- § 111.08, sealed container required off-premises
- First offense fine
- $100 to $500, petty offense
- Repeat offense
- Class B misdemeanor
- Enforcing agency
- County Sheriff's Department
Summary
Tazewell County bans drinking alcohol in any public place in the unincorporated county outside premises licensed for retail liquor sale and on-site consumption. It's a separate offense to leave a licensed premises with an unsealed or open alcoholic beverage container.
No person shall consume any alcoholic liquor in any public place within the county except in the premises licensed for the retail sale of alcoholic liquors and consumption in the premises.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-7: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. LU-21-12, passed 9-29-2021; and Res. LU-26-09, passed 7-29-2026).
Full Breakdown
09 of the county liquor code states flatly that no person shall consume any alcoholic liquor in any public place within the county except on premises licensed for retail sale and consumption of alcoholic liquors. 08, which separately bars carrying alcoholic liquor in an unsealed or opened container away from the licensed premises where it was purchased, and bars licensees, agents, servants, or employees from knowingly allowing a patron to do so or continuing to sell to a patron known to intend it. 25 define COUNTY for this chapter: incorporated municipalities inside Tazewell County, such as Pekin, East Peoria, or Morton, enforce their own municipal open-container and public-consumption rules and are not covered by this county chapter.
07 also authorizes the Sheriff and county health inspectors to inspect licensed premises at any time during business hours to confirm compliance with sanitation and other chapter requirements tied to a license.
Violations & Fines
Under § 111.99, a first violation of any provision in this chapter, including public consumption under § 111.09 or the open-container rule in § 111.08, is a petty offense punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500. A second or subsequent offense is a Class B misdemeanor under the state's Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5/1-1-1 et seq.), and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. A licensee who violates the chapter can also have their liquor license revoked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink alcohol in a public park in unincorporated Tazewell County?
Can I carry an open beer out of a bar I bought it from?
What's the fine for public drinking in Tazewell County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tazewell County
Compare Tazewell County to another location·View the Illinois public conduct overview
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