Costa Mesa police bring back voluntary breathalyzer tests at local bars

Costa Mesa police officers will be back in local bars asking patrons a simple question: do you think you're under the legal limit to drive? Those who want to find out can take a voluntary breathalyzer test on the spot.

The Costa Mesa City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 1 to accept just over $92,000 from the California Highway Patrol's Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, Voice of OC reported. The money keeps the department's "Know Your Limit" program running and also funds 40 DUI saturation patrols across the city.

How "Know Your Limit" works

Only bars that opt in take part. Officers visit, ask customers whether they believe they are under the legal blood alcohol limit, and offer a breath test so people can check their guess against the real number.

Police say the tests are voluntary and meant for education, not enforcement. "It's just for educational purposes," police spokesperson Roxi Fyad told Voice of OC.

Costa Mesa has held "Know Your Limit" campaigns since the start of 2026, and its first grant paid for three of them this year, according to Voice of OC. In January, officers set up at Salty Bear Brewing Co. on Randolph Avenue during happy hour and invited volunteers to guess their blood alcohol content before taking a breath test, New Santa Ana reported.

In California, the legal limit is 0.08% for drivers 21 and older and 0.01% for drivers under 21 or on DUI probation. A standard drink is 1.5 ounces of liquor, 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine, and factors like body size, food and medications change how fast that number climbs.

The patrols

The same grant pays for 40 saturation patrols. Marked units look for driving behavior that suggests a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, Voice of OC reported.

This is the second time Costa Mesa has received the grant. Police officials told Voice of OC the CHP approved the city because of the high prevalence of DUIs there.

What the council said

Mayor John Stephens supported accepting the money, saying it would reimburse the city for work officers are already doing, according to Voice of OC.

Asked by the outlet whether he had seen a positive change from programs like "Know Your Limit," Stephens said he had not.

Where the money comes from

The Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program is paid for by Proposition 64, the 2016 voter-approved measure that legalized recreational cannabis, through taxes on cannabis products sold in California.

On July 20, 2026, the CHP announced more than $41 million in awards to 183 recipients, including 160 law enforcement agencies. Costa Mesa is one of several Orange County departments on the list, alongside Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Orange, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana and the Orange County Sheriff's Department.