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Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) In this section, “public property” includes property that is:
(1) a structure, road, parking area, or grounds; and
(2) located on land owned, leased, or operated by:
(i) the State;
(ii) a county;
(iii) a municipality;
(iv) the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission;
(v) the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission;
(vi) the Montgomery County Revenue Authority; or
(vii) the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, an individual may not consume an alcoholic beverage:
(i) on public property;
(ii) on the mall, adjacent parking area, or other outside area of a shopping center;
(iii) on an adjacent parking area or other outside area of any other retail establishment; and
(iv) in a parked vehicle located in an area described under item (i), (ii), or (iii) of this paragraph.
(2) An individual may consume an alcoholic beverage on:
(i) public property if authorized by the governmental entity that has authority over the property; or
(ii) private property described under paragraph (1)(ii) through (iv) of this subsection if authorized by the owner of the property.
(3) If the owner or operator of a motor home or chartered bus has consented to the consumption of the alcoholic beverages, paragraph (1) of this subsection does not apply to passengers:
(i) in the living quarters of a motor home equipped with a toilet and central heating; or
(ii) of a chartered bus in transit.
(c)(1) A violation of this section is a Code violation and a civil offense.
(2) A person who violates this section:
(i) shall be issued a citation under § 10-119 of the Criminal Law Article; and
(ii) is subject to a fine not exceeding $100.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis § 6-321 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/md/alcoholic-beverages-and-cannabis/md-code-al-bev-sect-6-321/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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