Open Containers
Iowa Code § 321.284 — no open alcohol or THC beverage in the passenger area
- A driver may not have an open or unsealed container of an alcoholic beverage, or of a beverage containing any amount of THC, in the passenger area.
- The passenger area includes anything within reach of the seats, including the glove compartment.
- An open container may ride in the trunk, or behind the last upright seat in a vehicle with no trunk.
- A driver under twenty-one with an alcoholic beverage violates the underage possession law instead.
A passenger is held to the same rule, except in a vehicle for hire or the living quarters of a motor home or travel trailer. Each violation is a simple misdemeanor.
Sources for this section (2)
- Iowa Code § 321.284 — Open containers in motor vehicles — drivers
- Iowa Code § 321.284A — Open containers in motor vehicles — passengers
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.