Wausau, WI Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- General rule
- No drinking or open containers on public streets
- 400 Block exception
- Alcohol allowed 4-11 p.m. daily
- Special event window
- 2 hrs before to 1 hr after event
- Private lots
- Open containers barred without owner permission
- Citation deposit
- $50.00, Schedule of Deposits § 1.01.025
Summary
Wausau bans drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, alley, parking lot or right-of-way, with one narrow carve-out: The 400 Block downtown, where liquor is allowed from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and during approved Special Events under Municipal Code § 9.04.025.
(a)No person shall consume any intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverage while in or upon any public street, public parking lot, alley, sidewalk or other public right-of-way, or in or upon The 400 Block. Intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages are permitted in or upon The 400 Block and the sidewalks adjoining The 400 Block between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. and during a Class I, II, or III Special Event upon request of the event organizer and as approved under the City's Special Events Policy and Procedures for a period beginning two hours before the time for the Class I, II, or III Special Event and ending one hour after the event if the event closes prior to 4:00 p.m., or such hours beginning before and ending after the event as may otherwise be approved by the Public Health and Safety Committee. ... (b)No person shall be in possession of any open container containing intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages on any public street, public parking lot, alley, sidewalk or other public right-of-way or in or upon The 400 Block.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
025 makes it unlawful to consume intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverage, or to possess an open container of either, on any public street, public parking lot, alley, sidewalk or other public right-of-way anywhere in the city. daily, and for an extended window (two hours before through one hour after) during a Class I, II or III Special Event approved under the city's Special Events Policy and Procedures. The Public Health and Safety Committee can also grant special-event exemptions to the general ban elsewhere in the city on at least 60 days' written notice, and an Engineering Department block-party permit exempts that block party for its duration.
Subsection (d) reaches further onto private property: consuming alcohol or possessing an open container in any private parking lot or facility held open to the public is also prohibited unless the property owner or a designee has given permission, and even then the consumption cannot violate Wis. 09(1)'s rules for licensed premises. The section has been amended repeatedly since 1980, most recently in 2018, to keep pace with downtown redevelopment around The 400 Block.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is enforced as a general offense under Wausau Municipal Code Chapter 9.04, subject to the citation schedule administered by the Wausau Police Department, with the Municipal Ordinance Schedule of Deposits, § 1.01.025, listing a $50.00 stipulated deposit for a liquor-on-street citation. Absent a specific higher penalty, the general forfeiture range under § 1.01.110 of $10.00 to $200.00 per offense applies, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink alcohol on a Wausau sidewalk downtown?
Does the open-container ban apply to private parking lots?
Can I get a permit to serve alcohol outdoors for a private event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
Compare Wausau to another location·View the Wisconsin public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.