Buying Beer On Sundays In Mississippi: What's The Deal?

Mississippi's laws on alcohol sales are some of the most stringent in the United States. While beer and light wine can be purchased at grocery and convenience stores 24/7, wine and spirits with more than 5% ABV are only sold in liquor stores, which are closed on Sundays and Christmas Day. However, a bill to allow liquor stores to open on Sundays is currently being considered by the state Senate.

Beer can be sold for off-premises consumption 24/7, but sales on Sunday may be restricted by local ordinance

In Mississippi, beer can be sold for off-premises consumption 24/7. However, the hours for off-premises sales may be restricted by local ordinance, and sales on Sundays may be restricted by local ordinance, too.

In Mississippi, beer is defined as a malt-based beverage that contains no more than 8% alcohol by weight. Beer with an alcohol content greater than 8% by weight is illegal in Mississippi. Beer is subject to an excise tax of 42.68 cents per gallon.

In March 2024, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill to allow liquor stores to be open on Sundays. The bill, House Bill 329, would give individual retailers in wet counties the option to be open between 1 pm and 6 pm on Sundays. The bill would also allow local leaders to conduct a referendum to opt out of Sunday sales if 1,500 voters or 20% of citizens sign a petition to hold an election.

However, as of November 2024, liquor stores in Mississippi can only sell liquor between 10 am and midnight, Monday through Saturday, and are required to be closed on Sundays and Christmas Day.

Beer sales on Sunday are restricted by local ordinance

Beer sales on Sunday in Mississippi are restricted by local ordinance. While beer can be sold for off-premises consumption 24/7, the hours for off-premises sales may be restricted by local ordinance. This means that beer sales on Sundays are also subject to local ordinance.

In Mississippi, beer is defined as a malt-based beverage that has no more than 8% alcohol by weight. Beer that has an alcohol content greater than 8% by weight is not legal in Mississippi. Beer is subject to an excise tax of 42.68 cents per gallon.

Beer and light wine are sold at grocery and convenience stores that are open 24/7. On the other hand, wine and distilled spirits with more than 5% ABV are sold in liquor stores that are open from Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays and Christmas Day.

The hours for on-premises sales of beer are from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Municipal or county governments may further restrict, but not extend, the hours for on-premises sales of beer through local ordinance.

In March 2024, the Mississippi House passed a bill to allow liquor stores to be open on Sundays. The bill, House Bill 329, would give retailers in wet counties the option to be open between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. However, this bill still needs approval from the Senate, where a similar bill died in 2023.

Beer and light wine are sold at grocery and convenience stores open 24/7

In Mississippi, beer and light wine are sold at grocery and convenience stores that are open 24/7. This is because, in Mississippi, beer is not considered an "alcoholic beverage" and is therefore regulated differently from distilled spirits and wine.

Beer is defined as a malt-based beverage that contains no more than 8% alcohol by weight. Products that are wine-based and have an alcohol content of less than 5% by weight are regulated like beer and are known as light wine products or wine coolers. Spirits-based products with an alcohol content of 6% by weight or less are also regulated in the same way as beer.

Beer, light wine, and light spirits cannot be sold in package stores, and alcoholic beverages cannot be sold in convenience or grocery stores. Beer, light wine, and light spirits are available for off-premises consumption 24/7, although Sunday sales may be restricted by local ordinance.

On-premises sales of beer are permitted from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, although municipal or county governments may further restrict these hours. If the hours for selling alcoholic beverages are extended, then the hours for beer sales are typically extended to match.

Liquor stores (or package stores) in Mississippi are currently not allowed to operate on Sundays or Christmas Day. However, a bill (House Bill 329) was passed by the Mississippi House of Representatives in March 2024 to allow liquor stores to operate on Sundays. This bill is now under consideration by the Senate.

Wine and spirits with more than 5% ABV are sold in liquor stores that are closed on Sundays and Christmas Day

In Mississippi, wine and spirits with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of more than 5% are sold in liquor stores, also known as package stores. These stores are currently closed on Sundays and Christmas Day, in accordance with state law.

The sale of alcoholic beverages in Mississippi is regulated by the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). ABC-permitted package stores are only allowed to operate from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. This means that wine and spirits with an ABV of over 5% cannot be purchased on Sundays or Christmas Day in Mississippi.

However, there are some exceptions and ongoing developments regarding Sunday sales. Beer and light wine (wine-based products with less than 5% ABV) can be purchased at grocery and convenience stores, which are open 24/7. Additionally, on-premise alcohol sales are permitted from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, in restaurants, bars, clubs, and hotels.

In March 2024, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed House Bill 329, which would allow package stores in wet areas to opt to open on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This bill has been sent to the Senate for consideration, but it is not yet clear if it will be approved.

It is important to note that Mississippi has several dry counties where the sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages are illegal. The laws regarding alcohol purchase and consumption in Mississippi are unique and differ significantly from other states.

On-premise alcohol sales are allowed from 7 am to midnight

While on-premise alcohol sales have specified timings, off-premise sales of beer and light wine are allowed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means that grocery and convenience stores can sell these beverages at any time. In contrast, liquor and wine with an alcohol content of more than 5% ABV can only be purchased from liquor stores, which are typically open from 10 am to 10 pm, Monday through Saturday. These stores are usually closed on Sundays and Christmas Day.

It is worth noting that Mississippi has several dry counties where the sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Additionally, the state has a government monopoly on the sale of distilled spirits and wine with an ABV of over 14%.

The legal drinking age in Mississippi is 21 years. However, individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 can consume beer and light wine under parental supervision.

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