What Are the Open Container Laws in Kansas?
Laws around alcohol in Kansas are not only stricter than the lenient laws of Missouri, but they are also stricter than nearly any other state in America. Kansas prohibits public consumption of alcohol everywhere, unless part of a festival in a defined area.
Transporting opened containers of any kind is illegal on every street, road, or highway in Kansas. The only exception is that individuals may transport opened alcohol in a locked trunk if the individual has resealed the bottle and the drink is in the original bottle. If the vehicle does not have a separate trunk, it is permissible under the law to put the resealed bottle behind the farthest seat from the driver. Of course, the driver must be 21 years old or older.
Due to the stark differences in alcohol laws and vehicular laws in Kansas and Missouri, individuals who travel between the two states must exercise vigilance and caution when transporting open alcohol. In Kansas, drivers simply cannot do it. As soon as a vehicle passes over the state line, the vehicle and its passengers are subject to that state’s laws. If someone has an open container in Missouri, they are responsible for it once they enter Kansas. In Kansas, that means having an open container becomes illegal.
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