Buying Beer In Texas: What's The Legal Status?

Texas has strict laws regarding the sale of alcohol, and these vary depending on the type of alcohol and the day of the week. Beer and wine can be purchased from 7:00 am to midnight, Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 1:00 am on Saturday, and from 10:00 am to midnight on Sunday. Liquor laws are more stringent, with sales prohibited on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Liquor stores are only open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Monday to Saturday. So, if you're planning to buy beer in Texas, you'll need to be aware of these regulations and plan your purchase accordingly.

Beer and wine sales hours in Texas

On-Premise License or Permit (e.g. Bar or Restaurant)

Monday to Friday: 7 am – midnight

Saturday: 7 am – 1 am (Sunday morning)

Sunday: Noon – midnight (10 am – noon only in conjunction with the service of food)

Bars and restaurants in cities or counties that permit late hours and have a late-hours permit can sell alcohol until 2 am any day of the week.

Off-Premise Beer/Wine License or Permit (e.g. Convenience Store or Grocery Store)

Monday to Friday: 7 am – midnight

Saturday: 7 am – 1 am (Sunday morning)

Sunday: 10 am – midnight

Package Store/Liquor Store

Monday to Saturday: 10 am – 9 pm

Closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, liquor stores will be closed the following Monday.

Sports Venues, Festivals, Fairs, or Concerts

Licensed or permitted premises located at sports venues, festivals, fairs, or concerts can sell alcoholic beverages between 10 am and noon on Sundays, in addition to other hours when alcohol sales are authorized.

Liquor sales hours in Texas

Texas has a unique mix of conservative and liberal drinking rules. The state's liquor laws are outlined in the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, which details the hours of sale and consumption for various alcoholic beverages.

On-Premises License or Permit (e.g., bars and restaurants)

On-premises licenses or permits allow for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises. The hours of sale and consumption for this type of license or permit are as follows:

• Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to midnight
• Saturday: 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Sunday morning)
• Sunday: Noon to midnight (10 a.m. to noon only with the service of food)

On-premises establishments with a late-hours permit and located in cities or counties that allow such sales can sell alcohol for on-premise consumption until 2 a.m. any night of the week.

Off-Premises Beer/Wine License or Permit (e.g., convenience and grocery stores)

Off-premises beer/wine licenses or permits allow for the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, i.e., consumption elsewhere such as at home. The hours of sale for this type of license or permit are:

• Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to midnight
• Saturday: 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Sunday morning)
• Sunday: 10 a.m. to midnight

Liquor Store (also known as Package Store)

Liquor stores, also known as package stores, are subject to more stringent regulations. They can only sell liquor and are required to be closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, they must remain closed the following Monday. The hours of sale for liquor stores are:

Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Additional Notes on Texas Liquor Laws

• Texas blue laws prohibit the sale of liquor on Sundays and specific holidays, with additional restrictions on beer and wine sales.
• Beer and wine sales are permitted in grocery and convenience stores from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
• No alcohol exceeding 17% ABV can be sold on Sundays.
• Texas has dry counties, wet counties, and mixed counties, each with different regulations regarding alcohol sales.
• Hotel bars can serve alcohol to registered guests at all hours.

Alcohol sales in Texas on Sundays

Texas has strict laws regarding the sale and consumption of alcohol, especially on Sundays. These laws, known as "blue laws", were originally enacted to protect Sunday as a day of worship and encourage church attendance by limiting commercial activities. While many of these laws have since been repealed, restrictions on alcohol sales remain in place.

Under current Texas law, the sale of alcohol on Sundays is subject to the following regulations:

• Beer and Wine: Sales are permitted in grocery and convenience stores from 10 am to midnight on Sundays. This is an extension from the previous start time of noon, allowing for greater flexibility.
• Liquor: The sale of liquor is prohibited in stores on Sundays in Texas. Liquor stores must remain closed on Sundays, as well as on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If one of these holidays falls on a Sunday, the stores must also close on the following Monday. Liquor sales are only allowed from 10 am to 9 pm, Monday to Saturday.
• On-Premises Consumption: Bars and restaurants can serve alcoholic beverages on Sundays, but the start time depends on whether food is also being served. With the service of food, alcohol can be served from 10 am to midnight on Sundays. Without food, alcohol can only be served from noon to midnight. Hotel bars are exempt from this rule and can serve alcoholic beverages to guests at any time of day.
• Special Events: Alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and liquor, can be sold at special events such as sports events, festivals, fairs, or concerts from 10 am to noon on Sundays, regardless of whether food is served.
• Alcohol To-Go: Texas has recently updated its laws to permanently allow alcohol to-go options. Mixed Beverage and Private Club permit holders can sell alcohol, including mixed drinks, for customer pickup or delivery, as long as they adhere to the law's requirements. However, these sales cannot be made before 10 am on Sundays.

It is important to note that Texas has complex alcohol regulations that vary by type of beverage, day of the week, and type of establishment. These laws are enforced by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which writes specific regulations to enforce compliance.

Texas laws on alcohol consumption by minors

An adult may provide alcohol to a minor if they are the minor's adult parent, guardian, or spouse and are visibly present when the minor possesses or consumes the alcoholic beverage. It is against the law to make alcohol available to a non-family member younger than 17, even on one's own property and even with permission from the minor's parent.

Texas holds parents and adults civilly liable for damages caused by the intoxication of a minor younger than 17 if they knowingly provided alcohol or allowed alcohol to be served on property owned or leased by them. If the minor is injured or dies as a result of drinking on the property, gets into a fight, falls and hurts themselves, or is sexually assaulted, damages someone else's property, or leaves the property and is involved in a motor vehicle accident causing injury to themselves or others, the adult who provided the alcohol can be held liable.

The legal consequences for minors who buy, attempt to buy, possess, or drink alcoholic beverages include a Class C misdemeanour, punishable by a fine of up to $500, attendance of an alcohol awareness class, 8 to 40 hours of community service, and a 30- to 180-day loss or denial of their driver's license. If a minor with previous alcohol-related convictions does not attend alcohol awareness training required by the judge, their driver's license will be suspended for one year.

For minors, driving under the influence of alcohol carries additional penalties, including a Class C misdemeanour, a fine of up to $500, mandatory attendance of an alcohol awareness class, 20 to 40 hours of community service, and a 60-day driver's license suspension with no eligibility for an occupational license for the first 30 days. A second offence increases the community service requirement to 40 to 60 hours and the driver's license suspension to 120 days, with no eligibility for an occupational license for the first 90 days. A third offence is not eligible for deferred adjudication, and the minor's driver's license is suspended for 180 days, with no possibility of obtaining an occupational license during this period. If the minor is 17 or older, the fine increases to $500 to $2,000, and they may be confined to jail for up to 180 days.

Texas also has laws prohibiting the use of false identification to obtain alcohol by minors. The state provides incentives to retailers who use electronic scanners that read birth dates and other information digitally encoded on valid identification cards. Additionally, licenses for drivers under 21 are designed to be easily distinguishable from those for drivers 21 and older. However, there is no driver's license suspension procedure for minors who use false identification to purchase alcohol.

Texas laws on alcohol consumption by adults

On-Premises Consumption

On-premises license or permit holders, such as bars and restaurants, can sell alcoholic beverages from 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday to Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday. On Sundays, the sale of alcohol is permitted from noon to midnight. These establishments can serve alcoholic drinks after noon on Sundays.

Off-Premises Consumption

For off-premises consumption, beer and wine can be purchased from grocery and convenience stores from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays, and from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday. On weekdays, alcohol sales are permitted from 7 a.m. to midnight.

Liquor sales, on the other hand, are prohibited on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Liquor stores must remain closed on these days. On weekdays and Saturdays, liquor can be purchased from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Public Consumption

There is no statewide prohibition on public consumption of alcohol in Texas. However, there are specific areas where public drinking is banned, such as state parks and certain areas deemed illegal by cities. For example, drinking in public is prohibited in the West Seventh Street entertainment district in Fort Worth to curb underage drinking. Additionally, public consumption of alcohol is not allowed within 1,000 feet of a homeless shelter or substance abuse treatment center in Fort Worth and Arlington.

It is important to note that drinking in public is allowed unless an exception applies. For instance, it is illegal to consume alcohol in public places in state parks and specific areas deemed illegal by cities.

Open Container Laws

Texas has strict open container laws that prohibit open containers of alcohol in vehicles. An "open container" refers to any receptacle containing alcohol that is not sealed, including bottles, cans, flasks, and even capped but previously opened containers. Open containers are not permitted in any seating area of a vehicle, and they must be stored in the trunk or a locked glove compartment.

Other Important Considerations

It is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages to minors, and there are penalties for making alcohol available to minors. Additionally, it is illegal to consume alcohol in most convenience store parking lots, and driving with an open container is prohibited.

While Texas laws outline the general framework for alcohol consumption and sales, it is worth checking local ordinances and regulations as well, as they may impose additional restrictions or variations.

Frequently asked questions