Buying Beer On Sundays In Macon, Georgia: What's Allowed?

Beer lovers in Macon, Georgia, take note: your Sunday plans may be impacted by the local alcohol laws. While you can enjoy a cold one most of the week, there are specific rules around Sunday sales that you need to know. So, can you buy beer on a Sunday in Macon, GA?

Beer can be bought in Macon, GA on Sundays between 12:30 pm and 11:30 pm

If you're in Macon, Georgia, and you're craving a beer on a Sunday, you're in luck! Beer can be purchased in the city every Sunday between 12:30 pm and 11:30 pm. This applies to both packaged beer from retail stores and beer for on-premises consumption at bars and restaurants.

This law is specific to Macon, and even the state of Georgia. In the US, alcohol sales are regulated by state governments, and in many states, liquor laws vary from county to county. In Georgia, individual counties are allowed to set the days and time frames for alcohol sales, but they may not permit sales before 8 am or after 11:45 pm from Monday to Saturday.

In 2011, Macon-Bibb voters passed an alcohol referendum to allow the retail sale of beer, wine, and spirits on Sundays from 12:30 pm to 11:30 pm. This was a major change, as before 2011, alcohol could not be purchased in Georgia on Sundays at all.

So, if you're in Macon, GA, and the craving for a beer hits on a Sunday, you can rest easy knowing you can get your hands on one between 12:30 pm and 11:30 pm!

On-premise sales laws vary by county and city

In Macon, Georgia, an ordinance was passed in 2020 to extend the hours for packaged alcohol sales on Sundays. This ordinance changed the time period for packaged alcohol sales to 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Sundays. However, businesses selling alcohol for consumption on-premises still need to apply for a permit to sell alcohol during these extended hours. Without the permit, the default time for alcohol sales for consumption on-premises in Macon, Georgia, is 12:30 p.m. to midnight.

It is important to note that Georgia is one of several states that allow individual counties and cities to create their own rules and regulations around alcohol sales. This means that the laws for on-premise sales of alcohol can vary significantly from one county or city to another in Georgia. As such, it is always a good idea to check the local laws and regulations before purchasing or consuming alcohol in a particular area.

Additionally, there are some special occasions in Georgia where legislation extends the hours during which alcohol can be sold. For example, bars and restaurants are permitted to sell alcohol until 2:30 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day, New Year's Eve, July 3rd, and 4th, and the Sunday before Memorial and Labor Day. On the other hand, many counties in Georgia prohibit all alcohol sales on certain holidays, such as Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day.

Macon-Bibb Commissioners extended Sunday alcohol sales hours

In August 2020, an ordinance was passed in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to amend the county's code for packaged alcohol sales. The ordinance, sponsored by Mayor Robert Reichert, proposed to extend the hours for the sale of packaged alcohol on Sundays.

Previously, the sale of alcohol on Sundays was restricted to the hours of 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The new ordinance aimed to change this to allow sales from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Sundays. This change would bring the Sunday sale timings in line with those for Monday through Saturday, which are 8 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.

The ordinance was passed in the Economic and Community Development Committee and was supported by County Attorney Michael McNiel. According to McNiel, the ordinance was made possible by a provision within the House Bill 879, which was signed by Governor Brian Kemp on August 3, 2020. This provision stated that an additional referendum was not required for this change as the county had already voted twice in favor of alcohol sales – in 2011 for Sunday sales and in 2018 for the Brunch Bill, which allowed alcohol sales from 11:00 a.m. on Sundays for on-premises consumption.

The amended ordinance would affect businesses such as convenience stores, grocery stores, and liquor stores, providing them with an additional hour of sales on Sundays. The commissioners voted on this ordinance for final approval on September 1, 2020, further extending the hours for alcohol sales on Sundays in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia.

Local governments determine weekday retail alcohol sales hours

In Macon, Georgia, local governments determine weekday retail alcohol sales hours. The state of Georgia prohibits the sale of alcohol in retail stores from midnight until 12:30 pm on Sundays. However, on weekdays and Saturdays, local governments have the authority to decide the permitted hours for alcohol sales.

In Bibb County, Georgia, which includes the city of Macon, the local government has established specific regulations for alcohol sales. According to the Bibb County code of ordinances, retail stores are allowed to sell beer and wine from 12:30 pm to 11:30 pm on Sundays. During weekdays and Saturdays, alcohol sales are permitted at any time except for a brief window between 2 am and 6 am.

It is worth noting that the rules for purchasing distilled spirits in Bibb County differ from those for beer and wine. Distilled spirits can be bought during the following hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 10:30 pm, and Sunday from 12:30 pm to 11:30 pm.

Macon-Bibb County has also implemented regulations regarding alcohol sales. On Sundays, businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages by the package to go, including beer, wine, and liquor, are permitted to operate from 11 am to midnight. Additionally, businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on-premises have the option to operate without a Sunday Sales Permit from 12:30 pm on Sunday to 2 am on Monday. However, if they obtain the Sunday Sales Permit, they can extend their hours to 11 am on Sunday.

In August 2020, there was a proposal to amend the county's code for packaged alcohol sales, which would have extended the Sunday sales hours even further. The proposed ordinance aimed to allow sales from 11 am to midnight on Sundays. This amendment was supported by Mayor Robert Reichert and aligned with House Bill 879, which had been passed in the Georgia General Assembly. However, it is unclear from the sources whether this ordinance was officially adopted.

Georgia's alcohol laws vary by county

In Macon, Georgia, for example, an ordinance was passed in 2020 to extend the hours for packaged alcohol sales on Sundays. This ordinance changed the time period for the sale of packaged alcohol from 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. This change was made to create uniformity with the time of alcohol sales in the county, which can vary from day to day.

In Bibb County, Georgia, retail stores can sell beer and wine on Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. On weekdays and Saturdays, beer and wine can be purchased at any time except between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The rules for purchasing distilled spirits are different and vary by day of the week.

While Georgia's Sunday alcohol laws restrict off-premises retailers to selling alcohol between 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., some cities have enacted a "brunch bill" that allows bars and restaurants to serve alcohol starting at 11 a.m. on Sundays.

It's important to note that there are still some "'dry counties'" in Georgia, where retail liquor sales are illegal. As of 2023, these include Bleckley, Coweta, Dodge, Effingham, Franklin, Hart, Lumpkin, Murray, and Union counties. White County is also dry, except for the city of Helen.

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