West Palm Beach, FL Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 6-6
- Max fine (public possession)
- $500.00
- Max jail term
- 60 days
- Required sign size
- 6 x 8.5 inches, 3-inch letters
- Special event exception
- Non-glass containers only
Summary
West Palm Beach bans drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol on public rights-of-way, streets and other public places unless the city has authorized it. City Code § 6-6 also bars businesses from letting patrons carry drinks off-premises or drink in adjacent lots and alleys.
It shall be unlawful for any person to consume or have in his possession any cup, can, or other open or unsealed container containing any alcoholic beverage on public rights-of-way, streets, or other public places, unless duly authorized by the city.(1)As used in subsection (a) of this section, the term "open or unsealed container" means any vessel or container containing an alcoholic beverage, including beer or wine, which is immediately capable of consumption, or the seal of which has been broken.(2)An open or unsealed container shall be considered to be in the possession of a person if the container is in the physical control of such person.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 6-6(a) makes it unlawful to consume or possess any cup, can, or other open or unsealed container of alcohol on public rights-of-way, streets, or other public places without city authorization. An "open or unsealed container" is any vessel immediately capable of consumption or whose seal has been broken, and it counts as possessed whenever it is in a person's physical control. § 6-6(f) carves out an exception for city-permitted special events on public rights-of-way, provided alcohol vendors and mobile beer stands serve only in non-glass containers during the event.
Enforcement runs through § 6-13(c): violations of the public open-container ban in § 6-6(a) are punished under the Code's general penalty in § 1-13, while violations of the vendor and property-owner duties in § 6-6(b), (c) and (d) proceed under §§ 26-33, 26-36 and chapter 26, article III, which can include suspension or revocation of the business's certificate of use.
Violations & Fines
A person caught drinking or holding an open container in public faces up to a $500.00 fine or 60 days in a municipal detention facility under § 1-13, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. A vendor, owner or operator who lets alcohol leave the premises or be consumed in an adjacent lot without posting the required warning sign is cited under §§ 26-33, 26-36 and chapter 26, article III, and repeated violations can trigger suspension or revocation of the establishment's certificate of use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I walk down a West Palm Beach street with a beer?
What counts as an open container under West Palm Beach's ban?
Can a bar let me take my drink outside to the parking lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Palm Beach
Florida rules heatmap·Compare West Palm Beach to another location·View the Florida public conduct overview
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Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle public alcohol use.