April 14, 2022 Personal Injury
When visiting Las Vegas, many look forward to exploring the city’s famous casinos and bars and enjoying alcoholic beverages. However, drinking in public is not legal everywhere. It is common to be unsure of what is legal and what is not.
Whether you are a local or traveling from out of the area, it is important to educate yourself on Las Vegas’s open container laws.
If you are walking on the Las Vegas Strip, it is legal to carry open containers if you are 21 or older. However, the drink must be in a plastic or paper cup, or an aluminum can. The city strictly forbids glass containers for any type of beverage, including non-alcoholic drinks.
It is also important to know that the Strip is part of unincorporated Clark County. Under county laws, it is illegal to have an open container in parking lots or within 1,000 feet of where the alcohol was purchased. You cannot drink alcohol at public parks either, except if you obtain a special permit.
If you break an open container law, you could face a misdemeanor charge. Penalties may include a $250 fine and up to 30 days of jail time.
It is illegal in Nevada to have an open container or alcohol anywhere in the passenger area of a car. This act is a misdemeanor that is punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in jail.
In Las Vegas, however, open containers are permitted in the passenger areas of certain vehicles. Passengers in limos, town cars, taxis, shuttles, and other commercial transportation cars can drink alcohol, as long as there is a partition between the driver’s area.
However, not everyone follows these laws. In some cases, even drivers can drink, leading to serious accidents. If you are involved in a collision with an intoxicated driver, contact a Las Vegas car accident lawyer to discuss your legal options.
Downtown Las Vegas has different open container laws than the Strip. You can drink in public as long as you purchase the alcohol at a casino with a tavern license. Most bars and restaurants do not carry this permit, so you are unable to drink alcoholic beverages from these establishments in public.
Additionally, you cannot have an open aluminum can or glass container if you visit the Fremont Street Experience. You cannot have an open container of alcohol at a bus stop or within 1,000 feet of any of the following places.
Downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street are part of the incorporated City of Las Vegas, not unincorporated Clark County. An open container violation is also a misdemeanor, but you could face up to a $640 fine.
In Nevada, you are allowed to drink in public, as long as you are of legal drinking age. The state does not charge or prosecute people for public intoxication.
If you are walking around with a drink, you won’t face charges either. It is legal to have an open container of alcohol as a pedestrian. However, some cities and counties have their own laws. It is important to double-check your local laws before opening a drink.
