Petco Park Bag Policy: What Padres Fans Can Bring
The Petco Park bag policy allows single-compartment clear plastic bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches at San Diego Padres games. You can also bring a clutch or purse no larger than 5 x 7 inches, plus infant and medical bags. Every other bag stays outside, and Lock & Go lockers cost $14.
Rules differ from park to park, so see how Petco Park compares in our guide to stadium bag rules, along with the Dodger Stadium bag policy and Chase Field bag policy.
Petco Park bag rules at a glance:
- Clear bag: single compartment, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches
- Clutch or purse: no larger than 5 x 7 inches
- Exceptions: infant bags and medical bags
- Lockers: Lock & Go, $14 flat rate
- Gates open: 90 minutes before first pitch
- Re-entry: allowed at Padres games
What bags are allowed at Petco Park?
Petco Park allows three kinds of bags. They are single-compartment clear plastic bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, clutches and purses no larger than 5 x 7 inches, and infant and medical bags. The San Diego Padres list these three as the only exceptions to a ballpark-wide ban on bags. You can read the rule on the Padres’ entry policies page.
A clear bag policy limits you to see-through bags of a set size. A clutch is a small handheld bag. Petco Park sets a size for each, and the Padres’ pages do not require a clutch to be clear. They do require a clear bag to be a single compartment, but they never define the term. A bag with one open main space and no extra pockets is the safest match.
One Padres page words the clutch limit as “no longer than” 5 x 7 inches. The entry policies page says “no larger than.” Measure both sides of your clutch before you leave home.
The table below shows the limit for each bag type. Petco Park sets a size limit for clear bags and for clutches, and it lists no size limit for infant and medical bags.
The Padres’ pages do not say how many bags each guest may bring. They also say nothing about tinted, frosted or printed clear bags.
Which bags are not allowed at Petco Park?
Petco Park does not allow any bag that falls outside the three exceptions. Only single-compartment clear plastic bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, clutches and purses up to 5 x 7 inches, and infant or medical bags get in.
These bags do not meet the rule:
- Clear bags larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches
- Clear bags with more than one compartment
- Opaque bags larger than 5 x 7 inches, other than infant and medical bags
- Hard-sided coolers, which the Padres name on their prohibited items list
The Padres’ pages do not name backpacks, totes or drawstring bags. An opaque one of any of those fails the rule unless it measures 5 x 7 inches or less or serves as an infant or medical bag.
A clear backpack faces the same test: clear plastic, a single compartment and a size within 12 x 6 x 12 inches. The Padres never mention clear backpacks by name, so check the pockets and the size before you pack one.
Petco Park bag policy exceptions for infant and medical bags
Petco Park exempts infant bags and medical bags from the clear bag rule. The Padres’ entry policies page lists both as exceptions and publishes no size or material limit for either. The same page says all items are subject to search before entry, so expect staff to look inside.
The Padres’ pages do not define an infant bag or a medical bag, and they do not describe a separate screening lane. If you are unsure whether your bag qualifies, contact the Padres before game day.
Other accommodations are listed in the Padres’ Petco Park information guide. Guests may bring sealed containers of liquids required under the ADA. Strollers, wheelchairs and walkers are welcome if they do not block aisles. You can check them at the Guest Services Centers in Sections 108, 131 and 303 or at Gallagher Square. Wagons must be pushed rather than pulled and must have child safety restraints.
The Sharp Mary Birch Nursing Lounge sits in Terrace Suite 32 for Padres games. The Padres say its location can change for certain events.
Does the Padres bag policy change for concerts at Petco Park?
The Padres bag policy for concerts at Petco Park uses the same bag sizes as baseball games, but the rules for food, drinks and re-entry change. The Padres’ page for the September 28, 2024 Green Day show listed the same bag rules as baseball. Clear bags could measure up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, clutches and purses up to 5 x 7 inches, and infant and medical bags were excepted. As of October 14, 2026, the Padres’ concert listings page includes no bag policy, so check the ticket page for your show.
Petco Park hosts concerts in two setups. As of October 14, 2026, the Padres list Gallagher Square shows such as Foster the People on October 21, 2026. They also list the Dia De Los Deftones festival on November 7, 2026, with one stage on the playing field and one in Gallagher Square.
Padres baseball games
At Padres games, Petco Park allows outside food in individual portions and small collapsible umbrellas. It also allows one factory-sealed plastic water bottle and one empty reusable bottle, each up to 1 liter. Re-entry works with a scanned digital ticket, and gates open 90 minutes before first pitch.
Concerts and festivals
At concerts and festivals, Petco Park keeps the same bag sizes and adds tighter rules for what goes inside them. These rules come from the Padres’ concert pages for past shows:
- Food and drinks: no outside food or beverage, including factory-sealed and reusable water bottles (Green Day page, September 28, 2024)
- Re-entry: not permitted (Green Day page, September 28, 2024)
- Umbrellas: not permitted (Padres notice for a March 2, 2024 concert)
- Gallagher Square shows: enter at the Balboa Gate on J Street (concert listings page, October 14, 2026)
- Full-venue shows: all gates open for entry, with gate assignments sent by email (concert listings page, October 14, 2026)
- General admission pit: enter at the Park Blvd Gate at Park Boulevard and 10th Avenue, where you pick up a pit wristband (Green Day page, September 28, 2024)
Because there is no re-entry at concerts, anything you buy inside the venue stays with you for the night.
What happens if your bag doesn’t meet the Petco Park bag policy?
A bag that breaks the rules cannot go inside Petco Park, and the Padres’ information guide lists Lock & Go lockers instead of a bag check. The lockers cost a flat $14 for Padres games and select events. You can also take the bag back to your car before you reach security.
Lock & Go runs lockers at four spots around the ballpark:
- Across from the Home Plate Gate, in the Lexus Premier Lot
- Tony Gwynn Drive and L Street
- The Balboa Gate on J Street
- The East Village Gate
The lockers open 1 hour before the gates open. Gates open 90 minutes before first pitch, so that works out to 2 hours 30 minutes before first pitch. You must collect your belongings no later than 30 minutes after the game ends. A Padres notice for a March 2, 2024 concert described the lockers as cashless, so plan to pay by card or phone.
Security officers at every gate inspect bags and purses. Prohibited items placed in an amnesty box at an entrance gate “will not be returned,” according to the Padres’ entry policies page. Outside alcohol carries a bigger penalty, because the Padres say guests who bring it in may be ejected without a refund.
What else can you bring into Petco Park?
Petco Park lets you bring food for individual consumption to Padres games. You can also bring one factory-sealed plastic water bottle and one empty reusable bottle, each up to 1 liter, as long as your bag meets the bag policy. Small collapsible umbrellas are allowed too. Alcohol and glass containers are not.
Food and drinks
The Padres’ information guide describes the food rule as food “intended for individual consumption.” The rest of the food and drink rules for Padres games look like this:
- Packaging: individually wrapped, bagged or in a single-serve container, with no bulk packaging, pans or pizza boxes
- Fruit: fruit that could be thrown must be sliced
- Where to eat: at your seat, not in restaurants, club lounges or suites
- Water: one factory-sealed plastic bottle of still, clear, unflavored water, 1 liter or less
- Reusable bottle: up to 1 liter, not glass, empty at entry and for water only
- Other drinks: soft-sided single-serve juice or milk containers and sealed liquids required under the ADA
The Padres’ entry policies page adds one rule on containers: “Food containers must be soft-sided and comply with Petco Park bag policies.”
Umbrellas, cameras and other items
Petco Park allows small, collapsible umbrellas at Padres games. Large umbrellas that block sightlines or signage are prohibited, and staff may ask you to lower one. The Padres say the umbrella rule may change for non-baseball events.
Petco Park also allows personal still and video cameras that are not professional equipment. The lens can be no longer than 6 inches, and extra detachable lenses are not allowed.
These items are on the Padres’ prohibited items list:
- Alcoholic beverages and glass containers of any type
- Hard-sided coolers
- Sports equipment of any kind, except baseball gloves
- Balls of any type except baseballs, plus ball retrievers other than baseball mitts
- Frisbees, footballs and other throwable sports devices
- Selfie sticks, laser pointers, drones and wallet chains
- Lawn chairs and rigid-framed seating, except for ADA needs
- Skateboards, scooters, hover boards and Segways
- Smokeless or chewing tobacco and vaporizers
- Knives, firearms and weapons of any type
Bicycles are not allowed inside, but the Padres say you can park them at bike parking at the gates.
Gates and re-entry
Petco Park opens all entry gates 90 minutes before first pitch at Padres games. Season Ticket Members can enter 2 hours before first pitch at the Park Boulevard Gate and the Home Plate Gate. The Padres say times can change for special events, Opening Day, promotions and postseason games.
The Padres’ information guide says, “Re-entry is permitted at Petco Park.” Scan your digital ticket on the way out and again on the way back in. On select giveaway days, re-entry is unavailable until the promotional items run out or the 3rd inning ends. Re-entry is prohibited after the game or event ends.
Clear bags that meet the Petco Park size limit
Two Clear Bags Market totes match the 12 x 6 x 12-inch size limit used at most stadiums. Each one is made of clear PVC, a type of vinyl, and neither is larger than 12 inches in any direction. This stadium requires a single compartment, so check the pocket details before you choose.
The Open-Top 12x12x6 Clear Stadium Tote Bag - No Zipper is a clear open-top tote made of PVC. It measures 12 x 12 x 6 inches (30.5 x 30.5 x 15.2 cm). The top stays open, so there is no zipper to open at bag check. The straps are reinforced nylon webbing, which are the opaque parts of the bag. Because the top is open, it is not meant for rain or spill protection.
The 10x10x6 Clear Stadium Tote Bag is a clear zip-top tote made of PVC. It measures 10 x 10 x 6 inches (25.4 x 25.4 x 15.2 cm). It has a top zipper and double-stitched nylon handles, and the water-resistant vinyl wipes clean. The product page lists a camera, water bottle, wallet, keys, phone, hat and sunglasses as items that fit. At 10 inches wide, it holds less than a 12 x 12 x 6-inch tote.
You can browse more sizes in our clear stadium bags collection. Check the Padres’ bag policy before your game, because the rules can change.
Petco Park bag policy FAQ
What is the Padres bag policy at Petco Park?
You can bring a single-compartment clear plastic bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches to a Padres game at Petco Park. A clutch or purse no larger than 5 x 7 inches works too, as do infant and medical bags. Staff search every bag at the gate, so pack light.
Does the Petco Park bag policy allow backpacks?
You can bring a backpack to Petco Park if it is a single-compartment clear plastic bag within 12 x 6 x 12 inches. A backpack that serves as an infant or medical bag also qualifies. The Padres' pages do not name backpacks, so a standard opaque backpack falls under the general bag ban. Lockers near the gates cost $14 if you arrive with one.
Can you bring a purse into Petco Park?
You can bring a purse into Petco Park if it measures no larger than 5 x 7 inches, and the Padres' pages do not require it to be clear. A larger purse works only as a single-compartment clear plastic bag within 12 x 6 x 12 inches. Measure your purse at home, because a bigger opaque one will not get in.
Can you bring a water bottle into Petco Park?
You can bring one factory-sealed plastic bottle of still water, or an empty non-glass reusable bottle, up to 1 liter each to a Padres game at Petco Park. Concerts are different. The Padres' pages for past shows said no outside food or beverage, including water bottles, so check your event's page.
Does Petco Park have bag check or lockers?
Petco Park has Lock & Go lockers instead of a bag check. They cost a flat $14 for Padres games and select events, and they sit at four spots near the gates, including the Balboa Gate on J Street. Collect your belongings within 30 minutes after the game ends, and ask whether lockers run at your concert.
Can you bring a diaper bag to Petco Park?
You can bring an infant bag to Petco Park, because the Padres list infant bags as an exception to the bag ban. The Padres publish no size or material limit for it, and staff search every bag at the gate. Contact the Padres before game day if you are unsure whether your diaper bag counts.
How we checked this guide
We checked this guide against the Padres’ own pages on mlb.com. That covers the entry policies page, the Petco Park information guide, the 2026 homestand guide, the concert listings page and the pages for past concerts. Our last check was October 14, 2026. We re-check the venue policies in our guides every week and update a guide when a venue changes its rules.
Disclaimer: Clear Bags Market is an independent retailer. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Petco Park or the San Diego Padres. We use these names only to describe their published policies. Policies can change without notice, so check Petco Park’s bag policy page before your event.
