Can you drink alcohol in public in New Zealand?
Restricted areas/times
Public drinking is legal but banned in many designated liquor-free zones.
New Zealand is one of 15 countries classified “Restricted areas/times” for drinking in public — 42% of the 36 with data.
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Public drinking
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Australia
- Varies by region Public drinking is illegal in most states but legal in New South Wales unless in designated zones.
- Singapore
- Restricted areas/times Public drinking is legal but restricted during specific nighttime hours.
- Chile
- Illegal Public drinking is generally prohibited by law, with an exception for New Year's Eve.
- Hong Kong
- Legal Public drinking is legal for adults, with regulations focusing on underage sales.
- Japan
- Legal Public drinking is legal and a common custom, with no specific prohibitions.
- Laos
- Legal Public drinking is legal as there are no open container laws or prohibitions.
Other laws in New Zealand
- Jaywalking
- Offense / fined
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban
- Driving Age
- 16–17
- Homeschooling
- Legal
Every law in New Zealand → · Where can you drink alcohol in public? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.