Arabella Franco
Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state prohibited the sale of alcohol from 1881 to 1948, and continued to restrict on-premises liquor sales until 1987. So, what are the laws around buying beer in grocery stores on Sundays?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Day of the week | Beer can be bought on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Beer sales are prohibited on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. | |
| Time of day | Beer can be bought Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. |
| On-premise beer sales can be made from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. any day. | |
| Location | Beer can be bought at grocery stores, gas stations, liquor stores, and breweries or taprooms. |
| Gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores can only sell beer of 6% ABV and below. | |
| Cereal malt beverage (CMB) retailers are licensed by the city or county, meaning that some of these places may not sell beer depending on if they have the license and what county they’re in. | |
| Age | The minimum drinking age in Kansas is 21. |
| Minors can drink beer with parents if they are supervised and the beer is purchased and directly given to them by their parents. |
What You'll Learn
Beer sales are prohibited before noon on Sundays
Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The sale of alcohol is prohibited on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Beer sales are prohibited before 9 a.m. on Sundays. This law was only recently changed; previously, beer sales were prohibited before noon on Sundays.
In Kansas, beer can be sold off-premise from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays. On-premise beer sales can be made from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. any day.
Grocery stores in Kansas can sell beer, but it cannot exceed 6% alcohol by volume. These sales are for off-premise consumption only.
Kansas has a long history of strict alcohol regulation. From 1881 to 1948, Kansas had statewide prohibition, longer than any other state. During this time, several Kansas towns, including Topeka, Emporia, and Baldwin, enacted local liquor laws, making it illegal to sell alcohol at any commercial property. In 1948, voters approved an amendment to the Kansas Constitution authorising the legislature to "regulate, license and tax the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquor".
Kansas's strict approach to alcohol stems from lingering vestiges of its long era of prohibition. As of March 2023, Kansas has one dry county, where on-premises liquor sales are prohibited, but the sale of 3.2% beer is permitted.
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Grocery stores can sell beer with a maximum ABV of 6%
Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state had a long period of prohibition, lasting from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit general on-premises liquor sales until 1987.
Kansas law divides alcohol into six categories, each regulated differently. "Alcoholic liquor" includes spirits, wine, and beer containing over 3.2% ABV. A "cereal malt beverage" (CMB) is beer containing less than 3.2% ABV. A "nonalcoholic malt beverage" is beer with less than 0.5% ABV. "Domestic table wine" is wine containing 14% ABV or less, manufactured by Kansas farm wineries from Kansas-grown products. "Domestic fortified wine" is wine containing between 14% and 20% ABV, also made in Kansas. "Domestic beer" is beer containing 8% ABV or less, manufactured by microbreweries from Kansas-grown agricultural products.
The sale of alcohol is prohibited on certain holidays, including Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Alcohol can be sold between 9 am and 11 pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 9 am to 8 pm on Sundays.
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Alcohol sales are prohibited on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. Alcohol sales are prohibited on certain holidays, including Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. On permitted days, retailers can sell alcohol between 9 am and 11 pm. Local counties that sell alcohol on Sundays are not allowed to do so after 8 pm.
Kansas had statewide prohibition from 1881 to 1948, longer than any other state, and continued to prohibit general on-premises liquor sales until 1987. Kansas's strict and highly regulated approach to alcohol is a lingering vestige of its long era of prohibition.
In 2019, the state made a sweeping change, allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell "full-strength" beer, with up to 6% alcohol by volume. However, grocery stores are prohibited from selling any liquor besides 3.2% ABW beer.
Kansas has a three-tier liquor distribution system, where alcohol is distributed from manufacturer to distributor to retailer. Off-premises liquor sales are only allowed in licensed liquor stores. Grocery stores and gas stations may sell cereal malt beverages (CMB), but they must be licensed by the city or county.
While Kansas is not a dry state, it does have dry counties where alcohol sales are prohibited. As of March 2023, there is one dry county in Kansas, and three others—Wallace, Stanton, and Haskell—are considered completely dry, meaning no alcohol can be purchased in these counties.
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Alcohol sales are only permitted between 9 am and 11 pm
Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. Alcohol sales are only permitted between 9 am and 11 pm, Monday to Saturday. In 2023, Kansas was the only state with a dry county, where on-premises liquor sales are prohibited, but the sale of 3.2% beer is permitted.
In 2021, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill allowing the sale of beer and alcohol to begin at 9 am on Sundays. Prior to this, Kansas law prohibited Sunday sales until noon, a vestige of the state's long history of prohibition. The state had statewide prohibition from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit general on-premises liquor sales until 1987.
In recent years, Kansas has gradually rolled back some of its Prohibition-era liquor regulations. In 2019, the state allowed grocery and convenience stores to sell "full-strength" beer, with up to 6% alcohol. In 2023, Kansas had three completely dry counties, where no alcohol could be purchased, and 63 counties that required 30% food sales with the purchase of alcohol.
The sale of alcohol is prohibited on certain holidays, including Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Local counties that sell alcohol on Sundays are not permitted to do so after 8 pm.
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Gas stations can sell beer with an ABV of less than 6%
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 2019, Kansas made a significant change to its alcohol laws, allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell "full-strength" beer, with up to 6% alcohol. This change applied to gas stations as well, which can now sell beer with an ABV of less than 6%. This change was part of a gradual rollback of Prohibition-era liquor regulations.
Prior to this change, gas stations and grocery stores in Kansas could only sell beer with an ABV of 3.2% or less. This was a result of legislation passed in 1937, which defined beer with an alcohol content of 3.2% or less by weight as a "cereal malt beverage" (CMB), excluding it from the definition of "intoxicating liquor".
Now, gas stations in Kansas are able to sell a wider variety of beer, as long as it falls below the 6% ABV threshold. This change provides customers with more options for purchasing beer and has likely had a positive impact on sales for gas stations. It is important to note that these sales are for off-premise consumption, meaning the beer cannot be consumed on-site.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can legally buy and consume beer in Kansas.
Yes, grocery stores in Kansas can sell beer. However, the beer cannot exceed 6% alcohol by volume.
Yes, grocery stores can sell beer on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Yes, beer sales are prohibited before 9:00 a.m. on Sundays. Additionally, retailers are not allowed to sell alcohol on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
Yes, gas stations in Kansas can sell beer, but only if it has an ABV of less than 6%.
