Chase Center Bag Policy 2026: Size Limits, Backpacks & Bag Valet

Heading to a Golden State Warriors game or a concert at Chase Center in San Francisco? The arena doesn’t require clear bags the way most MLB stadiums do, but it enforces a firm size cap and an almost total backpack ban. Here’s exactly what the Chase Center bag policy allows.

Quick Answer

Chase Center permits bags up to 14″ x 14″ x 6″ — they don’t need to be clear — but backpacks are prohibited in nearly every form, and oversized bags have to go through the on-site bag valet.

Official Policy Verification & Source Check

Official policy source: Chase Center’s own Fan Safety Bag Policy page and A-to-Z Guide (chasecenter.com)

Source type: Official arena/venue website (home of the Golden State Warriors)

Last checked: September 30, 2026

Confidence level: High for bag dimensions, backpack rules, and camera limits; Medium for the bag valet’s exact location, where the venue’s own pages don’t fully agree

Important notes: Several third-party guides state the bag valet sits on Terry A. Francois Blvd, while Chase Center’s own bag policy page references “16th Street.” A local venue-review site clarifies that the bike valet/bag check area sits between the two — effectively the same spot described two ways, not a real contradiction. More significantly, a few aggregator sites claim a 6-inch camera lens limit (likely carried over from a baseball-stadium policy); Chase Center’s own A-to-Z Guide sets the limit at 3 inches for interchangeable lenses, which is what this article uses. Fan reports on Reddit also consistently describe water bottles — even empty, refillable ones — being turned away, which lines up with the official “no outside food or drink” rule rather than the looser “empty bottles allowed” claim some guides repeat.

How We Check This Policy: We start from Chase Center’s own bag policy and A-to-Z pages, then check fan-reported enforcement experiences against that official language, flagging anywhere a third-party guide states a number the venue itself doesn’t.

What Makes This Policy Different

Compared with Madison Square Garden, where a single clear-bag policy applies with a 12″ x 6″ x 12″ clear bag or a small clutch, Chase Center takes a different approach entirely: bags don’t need to be transparent at all, they just need to be small. A solid-color leather tote or an opaque crossbody bag sails through Chase Center security as long as it’s under 14″ x 14″ x 6″ — something that would be turned away outright at MSG. Where Chase Center gets stricter than most arenas is backpacks: MSG and many NBA venues allow small clear backpacks, but Chase Center bans backpacks almost without exception, clear or not, with the sole carve-out being single-compartment drawstring bags that happen to meet the size cap. A “fashion backpack” purse is allowed only because the venue classifies it as a purse, not a backpack, provided it fits the dimensions.

Allowed Bags and Size Limits

Purses, Totes, and Clutches

Any bag under 14″ x 14″ x 6″ is permitted without needing to be clear — this is the single biggest difference from a stadium like Chase Field or most MLB parks.

Backpacks

Standard backpacks of any size or material are prohibited. The only exception is a single-compartment drawstring bag that fits the size limit; everyday school or commuter backpacks, even small ones, don’t qualify.

Diaper Bags and Medical Bags

Diaper bags are allowed but still capped at 14″ x 14″ x 6″. Bags accepted as medical bags don’t have a published size limit but go through more thorough screening, which can include x-ray.

Why the Backpack Exception Trips Up So Many Fans

The single-compartment drawstring exception sounds like it opens the door to gym-bag-style backpacks, but in practice it doesn’t — a standard drawstring cinch sack with more than one internal pocket, or any bag with actual backpack straps and structure, gets rejected. This is also the rule that catches commuters off guard: fans arriving straight from Bay Area tech offices via Muni or Caltrain frequently show up with a laptop backpack, assuming “small backpack” will be fine. It won’t be — laptops and tablets carried in a backpack are one of the more commonly reported rejections at the gate, and the only fix on the spot is the $10 bag valet or leaving it behind entirely.

Prohibited Bags and Items

• Backpacks of any size or material (aside from the narrow drawstring exception)
• Bags exceeding 14″ x 14″ x 6″
• Hard-sided or soft-sided coolers
• Outside food and drinks, including water bottles (exceptions for baby formula/food and documented medical needs)
• Weapons, pocketknives, and self-defense sprays
• Glass bottles, metal cans, and thermoses
• Cameras with interchangeable lenses over 3″, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, and flash
• Audio or video recording equipment, unless approved by the event
• Laptops and tablets without event credentials
• Drones
• Laser pointers and noise-making devices
• Large banners, signs, or flags (oversized signage is restricted; check the event page for the exact limit, since venue sources differ slightly on the cutoff)

Packing Strategy

• Since bags don’t need to be clear, a small opaque crossbody or tote under 14″ x 14″ x 6″ is the easiest way through security
• Don’t bring any backpack expecting an exception — assume it will be rejected unless it’s a true single-compartment drawstring bag
• Skip the water bottle entirely, even empty — Chase Center’s no-outside-drinks rule is enforced more strictly here than at many arenas
• If you’re arriving by transit with a laptop bag, budget the $10 bag valet fee as a backup rather than risking a rejected bag with no car to return it to
• Keep camera gear to a personal point-and-shoot or phone; leave interchangeable lenses over 3″ and any tripod at home

Category-Specific Packing Tips

• Warriors games: A slim crossbody with your ticket, ID, and payment card clears fastest — team gear and signs are fine as long as they’re within the posted size limits
• Concerts: Artist-specific restrictions can tighten the standard policy, including phone-free requirements for some shows — check the specific event page before you pack
• Transit commuters: If you’re coming straight from work via Muni, Caltrain, or BART, plan for the bag valet ahead of time rather than discovering your laptop backpack is rejected at the gate
• Guests with infants: Diaper bags are allowed at the standard 14″ x 14″ x 6″ limit — pack efficiently, since there’s no infant-specific size exception the way some stadiums offer

Before You Go Checklist

• [ ] Confirmed your bag is 14″ x 14″ x 6″ or smaller
• [ ] Left standard backpacks at home — only single-compartment drawstring bags within the size limit are allowed
• [ ] Skipped bringing any water bottle, full or empty
• [ ] Packed camera gear with lenses under 3″ and no tripod/monopod/selfie stick
• [ ] Budgeted $10 in case you need the bag valet near 16th Street / Terry A. Francois Blvd
• [ ] Checked the specific event page for concert-specific bag or phone restrictions
• [ ] Confirmed you have no plans to re-enter — Chase Center doesn’t allow re-entry once scanned in

FAQ

Does Chase Center have a clear bag policy?
No. Bags don’t need to be clear, but every bag — clear or not — must be 14″ x 14″ x 6″ or smaller.

Can I bring a backpack to Chase Center?
No, with one narrow exception: single-compartment drawstring bags that meet the size limit. Standard backpacks, including small ones, are turned away.

Can I bring a water bottle into Chase Center?
No. Outside food and drinks, including water bottles, aren’t permitted, aside from baby formula/food and documented medical needs.

What happens if my bag is too big?
It can be checked at the on-site bag valet near the bike valet (16th Street / Terry A. Francois Blvd) for a $10 fee, or left at home or in your car.

What’s the camera policy at Chase Center?
Personal cameras are fine. Interchangeable lenses over 3 inches, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, and flash photography are not permitted.

Are diaper bags exempt from the size limit?
No — they’re allowed, but still capped at 14″ x 14″ x 6″ like any other bag.

Related Bag Policies

• Chase Field Bag Policy
• Oracle Park Bag Policy
• Crypto.com Arena Bag Policy
• SoFi Stadium Bag Policy

Conclusion

Chase Center’s bag policy trades the clear-bag requirement most stadiums use for a strict size cap and a near-total backpack ban — a small opaque tote or crossbody under 14″ x 14″ x 6″ will clear security faster than almost anywhere else, but a backpack or a water bottle will not, regardless of how small either one is. If you show up with something that doesn’t comply, the $10 bag valet near the bike valet is your on-site fallback, not a trip back to your car.