Seven Ways to Legally Host a Party
1) Only serve alcohol to persons age 21 or over.
If you are caught providing alcohol to underage persons, you can be fined. This can happen if you serve alcohol to someone under the age of 21 or someone you should know is under 21.
2) Remember that you are responsible for your guests.
3) Keep the alcohol on private property.
To avoid open container charges, keep the alcohol in the house or on the private property. You can be cited for open container if you have a cup or open container on public property, which includes sidewalks. You may want to put up plastic barriers to encourage guests to stay on the property.
4) Monitor the noise level.
To avoid being cited for a noise violation, keep the windows and doors closed if it is an inside party. All noise (even porch conversations) must be contained (cannot be heard from over 50 feet away) or stopped by 10 pm Sunday through Thursday and 12am on Friday and Saturday. Let your neighbors know that you are having a party and provide them with your phone number so they can call you instead of the police if the noise level is getting too high.
5) Provide adequate restrooms for your party guests.
To avoid charges of public urination, rent portable toilets if your party is going to be very large. (usually under $100, call (740) 385-6552)
6) Don`t let drunken guests drive.
If you know a friend that drove to your party, have him/her leave their keys with someone sober.
7) Be aware of your rights.
Police are not allowed to enter your residence without a warrant or consent. If the police come to the door, a resident of the house should speak to them outside. Print out signs for your front door that display your rights, available here.
Click here to download a PDF of this flyer. Feel free to copy it and hand it out!
