Requirements for possession and consumption of open containers of alcoholic beverages in social districts.
Charlotte City Code § 15-318
in effectSec. 15-318. - Requirements for possession and consumption of open containers of alcoholic beverages in social districts.
Except where otherwise allowed by local ordinance, it shall be unlawful to possess or consume an open container of an alcoholic beverage in a social district during the hours established for the social district pursuant to section 15-314 unless:
(1) The alcoholic beverage is purchased from a permittee located in the social district;
(2) The customer-purchased open container of alcoholic beverage is in a container meeting the requirements set forth in section 15-316 of this article, except for open containers sold by a permittee for consumption on the permittee's premises;
(3) The person does not possess at one time open containers of alcoholic beverages in the social district in excess of the number of alcoholic beverages that may be sold and delivered by a retail permittee as set forth in G.S. 18B-1010;
(4) The person does not enter the premises of a non-permittee business in the social district with an open container of an alcoholic beverage unless the non-permittee business has the uniform sign for the social district as set forth in section 317 displayed; or
(5) The person disposes of any open container of an alcoholic beverage purchased from a permittee in the person's possession prior to exiting the social district unless the person is reentering the licensed premises of the permittee where the alcoholic beverage was purchased.
Notwithstanding G.S. 18B-300 and G.S. 18B-301, a permittee or non-permittee business may allow a customer to possess and consume on the business's premises alcoholic beverages purchased from a permittee in the social district.
(Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)
Source: City of Charlotte, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/charlotte/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH15OFMIPR_ARTXVSODI_S15-318REPOCOOPCOALBESODIFetched: 10/27/2026