Last Call For Beer In Kansas: Know The Rules

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state prohibited all alcohol from 1881 to 1948 and continued to restrict on-premises sales until 1987. So, how late can you buy beer in Kansas?

Beer can be bought at bars and restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, liquor stores, and breweries or taprooms

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States, with statewide prohibition from 1881 to 1948, and continued prohibition of on-premises sales of alcohol until 1987. The state has a three-tier liquor distribution system, with alcohol flowing from manufacturer to distributor to retailer. Off-premises liquor sales are only allowed in licensed liquor stores.

Secondly, gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores can only sell beer with an ABV of 6% or below. This is because only state-licensed retail liquor stores are allowed to sell other liquor sales.

Thirdly, there are still dry counties in Kansas where you cannot buy alcohol. Three of Kansas' 105 counties—Wallace, Stanton, and Haskell—are completely dry. Sixty-three of the other counties require 30% food sales with the purchase of alcohol, and the remaining 39 counties do not require an accompanying food purchase.

Finally, there are certain holidays on which beer and alcohol sales are prohibited. Retailers cannot sell alcohol on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

Off-premise beer sales can be made Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state prohibited all alcohol from 1881 to 1948 and continued to prohibit on-premises sales of alcohol from 1949 to 1987. Sunday sales were only permitted in 2005.

Off-premise beer sales in Kansas can be made Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. This applies to liquor stores, which are licensed by the state to sell beer, wine, spirits, and nonalcoholic malt beverages.

The days of the week and times of day that beer can be sold off-premises vary depending on the county. For example, in some counties, off-premise beer sales are prohibited on Sundays, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. In other counties, off-premise beer sales are permitted on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

It's important to note that the hours for off-premise beer sales in Kansas are the maximum allowable guidelines, and individual cities or counties can impose more restrictive hours through ordinances or resolutions. For instance, a retail liquor store may be required to stop selling alcohol as early as 8 p.m. by a city ordinance or county resolution.

Additionally, there are specific rules regarding the types of establishments that can sell beer. Gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores can only sell beer with an alcohol content of 6% or lower. Cereal malt beverage (CMB) retailers, which are licensed by the city or county, can sell beer with an alcohol content of 3.2% or less.

On-premise beer sales can be made from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. any day

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state prohibited all alcohol from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit on-premises sales of alcohol until 1987. Sunday sales were only permitted in 2005.

On-premise beer sales in Kansas can be made from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. any day. This means that at bars and restaurants, beer can be sold and served on-site from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. This also applies to breweries and taprooms, which can sell beer on-site during the same hours, as long as they derive 30% of their gross sales from food.

The regulations for on-premise sales are the same every day. It is only recently that Kansas allowed Sunday off-premise location sales before noon. The state's strict and highly regulated approach to alcohol stems from lingering vestiges of its long era of prohibition.

While on-premise beer sales hours are the same across the state, off-premise sales hours can vary by county. Off-premise beer sales in Kansas can be made from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, off-premise sales are allowed from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

It's important to note that there are still some dry counties in Kansas where alcohol sales are prohibited. Additionally, state law prohibits retailers from selling alcohol on certain holidays, such as Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Beer sales on Sundays are different from weekdays for off-premise locations

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state prohibited all alcohol from 1881 to 1948 and continued to prohibit on-premises sales of alcohol from 1949 to 1987. Sunday sales have only been permitted since 2005.

The rules and regulations for purchasing beer on Sundays may vary depending on the city and county. While some counties allow Sunday sales, others may have stricter regulations in place. For example, in Johnson County, cities such as Olathe, Overland Park, Gardner, Shawnee, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, and Merriam have amended their laws to allow liquor sales on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

It is important to note that the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on certain holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Additionally, retailers can only sell alcoholic beverages between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. in Kansas, and local counties that sell alcohol on Sundays must stop sales by 8:00 p.m.

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States

The history of liquor laws in Kansas is closely tied to the temperance movement of the 19th century. The movement gained momentum in Kansas due to several factors, including the influence of Puritan immigrants, the perception of saloons as divisive to families, and the association of the temperance movement with the abolitionist cause. As a result, several Kansas towns enacted local liquor laws before statewide prohibition was implemented.

Kansas was the first state in the US to enact a constitutional prohibition on alcohol, with voters approving an amendment to the state constitution in 1880. This amendment prohibited the manufacture and sale of "intoxicating liquors" and was a significant milestone in the state's long era of prohibition.

Even after the end of prohibition in 1948, Kansas continued to have strict regulations around alcohol. The sale of liquor by the drink in public places, or on-premises sales, was prohibited until 1987. During this time, only off-premises liquor sales were allowed, and these were highly regulated. The state also had strict laws around open containers of alcohol, with open containers prohibited outside of private buildings and licensed on-premises alcohol sellers.

While there have been some recent loosening of restrictions, Kansas still has strict laws governing the sale and consumption of alcohol. For example, Kansas has a three-tier liquor distribution system, which means that alcohol is distributed from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer. There are also strict requirements for retail liquor store licensees, including citizenship and residency requirements, as well as a ban on sales to minors.

In summary, Kansas has a long history of strict alcohol laws, and while there have been some changes in recent years, the state continues to have some of the most stringent alcohol regulations in the United States.

Frequently asked questions