Buying Beer In Kansas: Sunday Shopping Laws Explained

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the US. Until recently, a vestige of its prohibition-era regulations prohibited the sale of alcohol on Sundays until noon. However, in 2021, the state approved a bill allowing Sunday alcohol sales to begin at 9 a.m., bringing it in line with neighbouring Missouri. This change also made permanent the sale of to-go and drive-thru alcohol, and allowed more bars to open on Sundays.

Beer can be purchased in Kansas on Sundays from 9 am to 8 pm

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state had a long era of prohibition, lasting from 1881 to 1948, and continuing to prohibit general on-premises liquor sales until 1987.

In May 2021, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill allowing the sale of beer and alcohol to begin at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Prior to this, Kansas law prohibited Sunday sales until noon, with the state's alcohol regulations dating back to the 1880s. The new law also made permanent the sale of to-go and drive-thru alcohol, providing a boost to the restaurant and bar industry.

Beer can be purchased in Kansas on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. However, it is important to note that local counties that sell alcohol on Sundays are not allowed to do so after 8 p.m. Additionally, retailers are not permitted to sell alcohol on certain holidays, including Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

The state's alcohol laws have been gradually relaxed over the years, with Kansas making a significant change in 2019 by allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell "full-strength" beer with up to 6% alcohol. In 2023, Governor Kelly signed another bill that included several changes to the state's alcohol laws, such as expanding common consumption areas and allowing dogs in outside areas of food establishments.

Alcohol sales are prohibited on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. Alcohol sales are prohibited on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. In addition, alcohol sales are not allowed on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day unless the local government has voted to allow Sunday sales. If Sunday sales are permitted, alcohol sales are still prohibited on Easter Sunday, Christmas, and Thanksgiving.

The sale of alcohol is only permitted during certain hours. Retailers can sell alcohol between 9 am and 11 pm in Kansas. Local counties that sell alcohol on Sundays cannot do so after 8 pm. On-premise beer sales can be made from 9 am to 2 am any day, while off-premise beer sales can be made Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 11 pm. On Sundays, off-premise locations can sell beer from 9 am to 8 pm.

Kansas has a total of 105 counties, which are divided into three categories: 30% food sales requirement, no food sales requirement, and no alcohol by the drink. Three of these counties—Wallace, Stanton, and Haskell—are completely dry, meaning that no alcohol can be purchased there. Sixty-three counties require 30% food sales with the purchase of alcohol, while the remaining 39 counties do not require an accompanying food purchase.

Beer with an ABV of less than 6% can be bought at gas stations

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the US. The state had prohibition laws in place from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit on-premises liquor sales until 1987.

In 2019, the state changed the law to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell beer with up to 6% ABV. This means that beer with an ABV of less than 6% can be bought at gas stations in Kansas.

The sale of alcohol is prohibited on certain holidays, including Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. In addition, alcohol cannot be sold on Sundays in some counties. However, in 2021, the state approved the sale of alcohol from 9 am on Sundays, bringing it in line with neighbouring Missouri.

The sale of alcohol is only permitted between 9 am and 11 pm in Kansas. Local counties that do sell alcohol on Sundays must stop sales by 8 pm.

Beer, wine, and spirits can be purchased in liquor stores from 9 am to 11 pm

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state had a long era of prohibition, lasting from 1881 to 1948, and continuing to prohibit on-premises liquor sales until 1987.

In 2021, the Kansas House of Representatives approved a bill to allow Sunday alcohol sales to begin at 9 a.m., bringing the state in line with neighbouring Missouri. The bill was signed into law by Governor Laura Kelly, allowing retailers to sell beer, wine, and spirits from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. This change was implemented in several cities, including Olathe, Overland Park, Gardner, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Merriam, and Edwardsville.

On other days of the week, Monday to Saturday, alcohol can be sold from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. in retail liquor stores. However, sales are prohibited on certain holidays, including Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Additionally, local counties that allow alcohol sales on Sundays must stop selling after 8 p.m.

Kansas has a three-tier liquor distribution system, where alcohol is distributed from the manufacturer to the distributor and then to the retailer. Off-premises liquor sales are only permitted in licensed liquor stores, and certain requirements must be met for an establishment to obtain a liquor license.

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the US

Even today, Kansas has several strict regulations surrounding the sale and consumption of alcohol. For instance, retailers can only sell alcohol between 9 am and 11 pm, and local counties that sell alcohol on Sundays are not allowed to do so after 8 pm. Alcohol sales are also prohibited on certain holidays, including Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Kansas law divides alcohol into six categories, each with different regulations. These categories include "alcoholic liquor," "cereal malt beverage" (CMB), "nonalcoholic malt beverage", "domestic table wine", "domestic fortified wine", and "domestic beer." The state also has a three-tiered distribution system for alcohol, where goods are distributed from manufacturer to distributor to retailer. There are a few exceptions to this system, such as for farm wineries and microbreweries, which can sell directly to consumers.

Kansas also has strict requirements for retail liquor stores and CMB retailers. For example, a retail liquor store licensee must have been a US citizen for 10 years, a resident of Kansas for 4 years, and must be at least 21 years old. CMB retailers must be US citizens and residents of Kansas for at least one year, and they can only sell cereal malt beverages or nonalcoholic malt beverages.

Kansas's strict alcohol laws also have an impact on businesses and consumers. For instance, retailers like Walmart and Target are only allowed to sell beer and wine, and CVS can only sell beer. Additionally, grocery stores are prohibited from selling liquor, and gas stations can only sell beer with an ABV of less than 6%.

While there have been some efforts to loosen Kansas's alcohol regulations in recent years, the state still has some of the strictest laws in the country. These laws are a reflection of the state's conservative values and its long history of temperance.

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