MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE
Act 300 of 1949
257.624a Transportation or possession of alcoholic liquor in open or uncapped container open or upon which seal broken; violation as misdemeanor; exception; subsections (1) and (2) inapplicable to passenger in commercial quadricycle; definitions.
Sec. 624a.
(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (5), a person who is an operator or occupant shall not transport or possess alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a vehicle upon a highway, or within the passenger area of a moving vehicle in any place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles, in this state.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (5), a person may transport or possess alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles in this state, if the vehicle does not have a trunk or compartment separate from the passenger area, and the container is in a locked glove compartment, behind the last upright seat, or in an area not normally occupied by the operator or a passenger.
(3) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. As part of the sentence, the person may be ordered to perform community service and undergo substance abuse screening and assessment at his or her own expense as described in section 703(1) of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703. A court shall not accept a plea of guilty or nolo contendere for a violation of this section from a person charged solely with a violation of section 625(6).
(4) This section does not apply to a passenger in a chartered vehicle authorized to operate by the state transportation department.
(5) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, unless prohibited by local ordinance, subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a passenger in a commercial quadricycle. A passenger in a commercial quadricycle shall not transport or possess alcoholic liquor other than beer, wine, spirits, or a mixed spirits drink.
(6) As used in this section:
(a) "Glove compartment" means a recess with a hinged and locking door in the dashboard of a motor vehicle.
(b) "Passenger area" means the area designed to seat the operator and passengers of a motor vehicle while it is in operation and any area that is readily accessible to the operator or a passenger while in his or her seating position, including the glove compartment.
History: Add. 1991, Act 98, Eff. Jan. 1, 1992 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 211, Eff. Nov. 1, 1994 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 493, Eff. Apr. 1, 1997 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 349, Eff. Oct. 1, 1999 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 306, Imd. Eff. Oct. 1, 2012 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 126, Imd. Eff. July 15, 2015
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
39
cases (
17 in the last 5 years), 1996–2026 · leading case:
People v. Solmonson, 683 N.W.2d 761 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).
People v. Solmonson, 683 N.W.2d 761 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).
“§257.624a. Defendant also appeals his sentence of two to ten years imprisonment for OUIL, third offense, enhanced as a third felony offender, M.”
People v. Solmonson, 261 Mich. App. 657 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).
“904(1), (3)(b); and possessing open intoxicants in a motor vehicle on a highway, MCL 257.624a. Defendant also appeals his sentence of two- to ten-years imprisonment for OUIL, third offense, enhanced as a third felony offender, MCL 769.”
People v. Hyde, 775 N.W.2d 833 (Mich. Ct. App. 2009).
“3 MCL 257.624a. 4 People v Brzezinski, 243 Mich App 431 ; 622 NW2d 528 (2000).”
People v. Lyon, 872 N.W.2d 245 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015).
· cites it 4× “625(1) and (9)(c), and possessing an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, MCL 257.624a, for driving his personal electric scooter on a public highway while intoxicated and drinking a can of beer.”
United States v. Hartwell, 67 F. Supp. 2d 784 (E.D. Mich. 1999).
· cites it 3× “Section 257.624a provides, in pertinent part, that .”
People v. LoCicero, 556 N.W.2d 498 (Mich. 1996).
“This statute has been repealed and superseded by MCL 257.624a; MSA 9.2324(1). 5 The Tel-Ex Plaza includes a movie theater, a grocery store, and other businesses.”
People v. Wujkowski, 583 N.W.2d 257 (Mich. Ct. App. 1998).
“15(7403)(2)(d), and transporting or possessing alcoholic liquor in an open container in a vehicle, MCL 257.624a; MSA 9.2324(1). On January 16, 1996, defendant filed a motion to dismiss and a motion to suppress in the district court.”
People v. Derror, 715 N.W.2d 822 (Mich. 2006).
· cites it 2× “[11] See, for example, MCL 257.624a, in which the Legislature has made it illegal for a driver or passenger of a motor vehicle to transport or possess alcoholic liquor in an open container, regardless of whether the persons in the car actually drink the alcoholic beverage.”
Pennell (E.D. Mich. 2026).
· cites it 6× “The statute prohibits an operator or occupant from transporting or possessing “alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a vehicle.”
People of Michigan v. Dante Parrott (Mich. Ct. App. 2023).
· cites it 5× “626b, and a misdemeanor citation for possessing an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, MCL 257.624a. Defendant was subsequently charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm (felon-in-possession), MCL 750.”
People of Michigan v. Timothy Ray Palacios II (Mich. Ct. App. 2017).
· cites it 2× “The jury found defendant not guilty of possession of alcohol in an open container, MCL 257.624a. Defendant appeals as of right, and we affirm.”
People of Michigan v. Timothy Ray Palacios II (Mich. Ct. App. 2017).
· cites it 2× “The jury found defendant not guilty of possession of alcohol in an open container, MCL 257.624a. Defendant appeals as of right, and we affirm.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.624a(1) — 13 cases
People v. Lyon, 872 N.W.2d 245 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015).
“625(1) and (9)(c), and possessing an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, MCL 257.624a, for driving his personal electric scooter on a public highway while intoxicated and drinking a can of beer.”
People of Michigan v. Dante Parrott (Mich. Ct. App. 2023).
“626b, and a misdemeanor citation for possessing an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, MCL 257.624a. Defendant was subsequently charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm (felon-in-possession), MCL 750.”
Pennell (E.D. Mich. 2026).
“The statute prohibits an operator or occupant from transporting or possessing “alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a vehicle.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.624a(2) — 1 case
Pennell (E.D. Mich. 2026).
“The statute prohibits an operator or occupant from transporting or possessing “alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a vehicle.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.624a(5) — 1 case
Pennell (E.D. Mich. 2026).
“The statute prohibits an operator or occupant from transporting or possessing “alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a vehicle.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.624a(l) — 1 case
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