← Colorado alcohol laws›Open Container Law
Colorado Open Container Law (2026)
Restricted: In Colorado, open alcoholic beverage containers are prohibited in the passenger area of a vehicle on a public highway — drinking, or merely possessing an open container while seated there, is a class A traffic infraction (C.R.S. 42-4-1305(2)(c)).
In Colorado, open alcoholic beverage containers are prohibited in the passenger area of a vehicle on a public highway — drinking, or merely possessing an open container while seated there, is a class A traffic infraction (C.R.S. 42-4-1305(2)(c)). Colorado applies the same rule to cannabis: using marijuana or having an open marijuana container in the passenger area is also a class A traffic infraction (C.R.S. 42-4-1305.5(2)(c)). State Patrol guidance: containers must be carried where they are not readily accessible to the driver or passengers.
Official source: csp.colorado.gov →
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Don't get caught off guardCross into a state where this law is different and the free iPhone app tells you what changed, even with the app closed. It also alerts you when a law you track changes where you live. No account.Get the free appWe watch the official sources behind Colorado alcohol rules. If a tracked rule changes, you get one short email — never more than one a week. Free, unsubscribe anytime.