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Can you drink non-alcoholic beer while driving in California?

My friend and I were driving around the other day, and she freaked out because she said I was drinking and driving. I was drinking a non-alcoholic beer—is that legal in California?

avatar
Sarah Gray · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
California law
 states that drivers and passengers must refrain from drinking any beverage with .5% or more ABV. Though all non-alcoholic beers contain a small amount of alcohol, most contain less than .05% ABV, so you can likely drink it while driving in
California
.
Keep in mind: California prohibits open containers of alcoholic beverages—like beer and wine—while driving a vehicle, so while your non-alcoholic beverage is technically legal, that won’t save you from having to explain yourself to a police officer or possibly even in court if you’re pulled over while drinking it. 
The simplest way around this is to just drink something truly non-alcoholic instead, but if you insist, be sure you’ve got your license and
proof of insurance
 ready in case you get pulled over with that suspicious container.
MORE:
Open container laws in California
CaliforniaDUIDrunk Driving
View full answer 
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