Alabama Open Container Law (2026): The $25 Fine and No-Points Rule
Alabama bans open alcohol containers for drivers and passengers under Ala. Code 32-5A-330. The maximum fine is $25, and it is not a moving violation.
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Open Container Laws
52 articles
Alaska Open Container Law (2026): A Driver-Only Driving Offense
Alaska bans driving with an open alcohol container in the passenger compartment under AS 28.35.029. It's a driving offense, not a passenger-possession ban.
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Arizona Open Container Law (2026): Possession and Drinking Both Banned
Arizona bans possessing or drinking alcohol in a vehicle's passenger area for drivers and passengers under A.R.S. 4-251, with exceptions for taxis and RVs.
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Arkansas Open Container Law (2026): Rules, Exemptions, and Penalty
Arkansas bans an open alcohol container in the passenger area of a vehicle under Ark. Code 5-71-218, covering both drivers and passengers.
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California Open Container Law (2026): The Full Rule
California bans driver and passenger drinking and open containers under Veh. Code Sections 23221, 23222, 23223, 23225, 23226 and 23229. Rules and penalty.
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Colorado Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Colorado bans open containers and drinking for drivers and passengers under C.R.S. 42-4-1305. Read the verbatim text, exemptions, and $66 penalty.
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Connecticut Open Container Law (2026): No Possession Ban
Connecticut has no open-container possession law. Conn. Gen. Stat. 53a-213 only bans driver drinking. See the penalty and federal non-conformance.
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DC Open Container Law (2026): D.C. Code § 25-1001 Explained
DC has no dedicated vehicle open-container law; D.C. Code § 25-1001 bans drinking in cars on public streets instead. Penalties and exemptions explained.
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Delaware Open Container Law (2026): No Possession Ban
Delaware has no open-container possession law. 21 Del. C. 4177J only bans officer-witnessed driver drinking. HB119's 2023 fate, penalty, and FHWA status.
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Florida Open Container Law (2026): Fla. Stat. § 316.1936
Florida bans open-container possession and drinking for drivers and passengers, even parked. Exemptions, local rules, and penalties under Fla. Stat. § 316.1936.
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Georgia Open Container Law (2026): O.C.G.A. § 40-6-253
Georgia bans open-container possession and drinking for driver and passengers; a solo driver is deemed to possess any open container in reach. Penalties inside.
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Hawaii Open Container Law (2026): HRS §§ 291-3.1 to 291-3.4
Hawaii's open-container rule spans four statutes covering driver, passenger, and storage, and the glove compartment isn't a safe harbor. Penalties and FHWA status.
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Idaho Open Container Law (2026): Rules and Penalties
Idaho bans drivers and passengers from possessing or drinking an open alcohol container in a vehicle under Idaho Code § 23-505. Exemptions and penalties explained.
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Illinois Open Container Law (2026): Rules and Penalties
Illinois bans unsealed alcohol containers for drivers and passengers under 625 ILCS 5/11-502, with a driver's-area rule that applies even in exempt vehicles.
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Indiana Open Container Law (2026): Rules and Penalties
Indiana bans possessing an opened alcohol container in the passenger compartment under Ind. Code § 9-30-15-3, a Class C infraction. Exemptions explained.
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Iowa Open Container Law (2026): Rules, THC, Penalties
Iowa bans unsealed alcohol and, since 2025, THC-beverage containers under Iowa Code §§ 321.284 and 321.284A. Glove compartment counts. Penalties explained.
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Kansas Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Kansas bans transporting open alcohol unless it fits a safe-harbor exemption under K.S.A. 8-1599. Read the exemptions, penalties, and repeat-offense rules.
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Kentucky Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Kentucky bans open containers for drivers and passengers under KRS 189.530(2). Read the locked glove-box exemption, fine range, and for-hire carve-out.
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Louisiana Open Container Law (2026): Statute, Exemptions, Daiquiris
Louisiana bans open containers under La. R.S. 32:300, with 8 exemptions and a parish-population local-variation rule. Read the daiquiri-shop mechanism.
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Maine Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Exemptions
Maine puts the operator in violation under 29-A M.R.S. 2112-A when the operator or a passenger has an open container or drinks. Read the exemptions and penalty.
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Maryland Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Maryland bans open containers for every occupant, and drinking for passengers only, under Criminal Law Section 10-125. Read the rule, exemptions, and penalty.
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Massachusetts Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Fine
Massachusetts bans open containers in the passenger area under Gen. Laws ch. 90, Section 24I, with a stricter driver bar. Fine is $100 to $500.
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Michigan Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Michigan bans transporting or possessing an open container in the passenger area under MCL 257.624a. Read the rule, exemptions, and misdemeanor penalty.
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Minnesota Open Container Law (2026): The Open Bottle Law
Minnesota's Open Bottle Law bans open containers and drinking for drivers and passengers under Minn. Stat. 169A.35. Read the rule, exemptions, penalty.
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Mississippi Open Container Law (2026): No Statute Confirmed
Research could not confirm a Mississippi open-container statute. See why, what the DUI law still covers, and the federal non-conforming listing.
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Missouri Open Container Law (2026): Driver-Consumption Only
Missouri bans only driver drinking while moving under RSMo 577.017, not possession. See the penalty and why Missouri is federally non-conforming.
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Montana Open Container Law (2026): Possession Ban Explained
Montana bans possessing an open container in a vehicle's passenger area for drivers and passengers under MCA 61-8-1026, capped at a $100 fine.
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Nebraska Open Container Law (2026): Possession and Parking Areas
Nebraska bans open-container possession and drinking for drivers and passengers under Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,211.08, even in public parking areas.
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Nevada Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Nevada bans drinking and open containers for drivers and passengers under NRS 484B.150. Read the exemptions, penalty, and what counts as a passenger area.
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New Hampshire Open Container Law (2026): Passengers Too
New Hampshire restricts passengers, not just the driver, from carrying unsealed alcohol under RSA 265-A:44. Read the sealed-container rule and $150 penalty.
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New Jersey Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
New Jersey bans open containers for drivers and passengers under N.J.S.A. 39:4-51b and bans drinking while driving under 39:4-51a.
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New Mexico Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
New Mexico bans drinking and open containers for drivers and passengers under NMSA 66-8-138. Read the exemptions, glove compartment rule, and penalties.
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New York Open Container Law (2026): VTL Section 1227
New York bans open containers and drinking for drivers and passengers under VTL Section 1227. Exemptions, penalty, and a sourcing note explained.
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North Carolina Open Container Law (2026): N.C.G.S. 20-138.7
North Carolina has two open container offenses: a driver-only misdemeanor and a separate passenger infraction, under N.C.G.S. Section 20-138.7. Full breakdown.
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North Dakota Open Container Law (2026): N.D.C.C. 39-08-18
North Dakota bans open containers in vehicles and public parking lots, and excludes the glove box, under N.D.C.C. Section 39-08-18. Penalty and exemptions.
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Ohio Open Container Law (2026): R.C. Section 4301.62 Explained
Ohio bans open containers for drivers and passengers in parked and moving vehicles under R.C. 4301.62. Minor misdemeanor penalty, exemptions, and FHWA status.
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Oklahoma Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Oklahoma bans open-container possession in a moving vehicle under 21 Okla. Stat. Section 1220. See the moving-vehicle limit, exemptions, and penalty.
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Open Container Laws by State (2026): Passengers, Exemptions, Penalties
Open container laws by state: who's covered, passenger rules, exemptions, penalties, and the 12 states FHWA flags as non-conforming for FY2026. Full 51-row table.
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Oregon Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Oregon bans drinking and open-container possession for drivers and passengers under ORS 811.170. See exemptions, the glove-box rule, and penalty.
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Pennsylvania Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Pennsylvania bans open-container possession and alcohol consumption for drivers and passengers under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 3809. Read the exact text.
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Rhode Island Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Rhode Island bans unsealed containers in the passenger section under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-22-21.1, an operator-framed rule. See penalties.
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South Carolina Open Container Law (2026): Two Statutes Explained
South Carolina bans open beer/wine and opened liquor in vehicles under two statutes, Section 61-4-110 and Section 61-6-4020(A). Rules, exemptions, penalty.
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South Dakota Open Container Law (2026): SDCL 35-1-9.1 Explained
South Dakota bans drinking or possessing an open container in a vehicle for any occupant under SDCL 35-1-9.1. Read the rule, exemptions, and penalty class.
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Tennessee Open Container Law (2026): Driver-Only Rule Explained
Tennessee's open container law bans only the driver, not passengers, under Tenn. Code Section 55-10-416. See the driver-only rule, local option, and penalty.
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Texas Open Container Law (2026): Penal Code 49.031 Explained
Texas bans open containers for drivers and passengers under Penal Code 49.031, moving, stopped, or parked. Read the rule, exemptions, and Class C penalty.
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Utah Open Container Law (2026): Rules, Exemptions, Penalty
Utah bans drinking while operating or riding in a covered vehicle and open containers under Code 41-6a-526, covering golf carts, scooters, and e-bikes.
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Vermont Open Container Law (2026): Operator and Passenger Rules
Vermont bans operator and passenger drinking plus open containers under 23 V.S.A. 1134 and 1134a. See the for-hire/motor-home exemption and civil penalties.
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Virginia Open Container Law (2026): No Possession Offense
Virginia has no open-container possession law. Code 18.2-323.1 bans only driver drinking, using containers as a rebuttable presumption. See the penalty.
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Washington Open Container Law (2026): Infraction, Not a Crime
Washington's open container law, RCW 46.61.519, is a civil traffic infraction covering drinking, possession, and the vehicle owner's duty. See exemptions.
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West Virginia Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
West Virginia bans open containers for the operator and passengers under W. Va. Code Section 17C-5D-3. Read the text, exemptions, and $50-$100 fine.
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Wisconsin Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Wisconsin bans drinking and possessing an open alcohol container on your person in vehicles under Wis. Stat. 346.935. Read the storage rule, exemptions, and penalty.
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Wyoming Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Wyoming bars open containers for any occupant while a vehicle is moving under Wyo. Stat. 31-5-235. Read the local ordinance opt-out and penalties.
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