Open Container
G.L. c. 90, § 24I — $100 to $500 for an open container in the passenger area
The passenger area, the glove box included. In Massachusetts, possessing an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the passenger area of a motor vehicle on a public way or a place the public can use is punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500. The passenger area includes the glove compartment, but not a trunk or a locked glove compartment.
The section does not apply to passengers in a vehicle used to carry people for pay, or to the living quarters of a house coach or house trailer. The driver of any vehicle, those included, may not possess an open container.
A bottle resealed under the alcohol law is not an open container, but a resealed bottle may not ride in the passenger area.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.L. c. 90, § 24I — Open containers of alcohol in motor vehicles
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.