Buying Beer On Sundays In Pennsylvania: What's The Law?

Pennsylvania has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. These laws can be traced back to the Prohibition era and the state's former governor, Gifford Pinchot, who was a teetotaler. While it is not illegal to buy beer on a Sunday in Pennsylvania, there are certain restrictions in place. These include specific operating hours for licensed retailers, and the requirement for a Sunday Sales Permit to sell beer on Sundays.

Pennsylvania's liquor laws

Where to Buy Alcohol in Pennsylvania:

The rules for purchasing alcohol vary depending on the type of beverage (beer, wine, or liquor) and the place. Here's a breakdown:

Beer:

Malt beverages like beer are the easiest to obtain, as several places can sell them. These include beer distributors, bottle shops, bars, grocery stores, and breweries. The amount of beer they can sell depends on the type of license they hold.

Beer distributors have the fewest restrictions and can sell kegs, cases, 12-packs, six-packs, single bottles, and growlers. However, these are only for "off-premise consumption," meaning you can't drink your purchase on-site.

Other places, like bottle shops, grocery stores, and bars, can obtain a license to sell up to 192 fluid ounces of beer (equivalent to 12 16-ounce cans) per transaction. You can buy more, but it requires multiple transactions. You can drink your purchase on-site or take it to go.

Licensed breweries can sell beer for on-site or off-site consumption, as well as products from other Pennsylvania-licensed producers for on-site consumption.

You can also have beer shipped or delivered to your home or business from breweries or third-party services.

Wine:

Wine can be purchased from various places, including bottle shops, grocery stores, state stores ("Fine Wine & Good Spirits" stores), and wineries. Bottle shops and grocery stores with expanded permits can sell up to three liters of wine (equivalent to four 750-milliliter bottles) per transaction. State stores and wineries have similar quantity limits.

Liquor:

For harder liquors, your options are more limited. You can purchase them from state-owned Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, which also sell wine but not beer. These stores offer shipping and pickup options. Additionally, Pennsylvania distilleries can sell liquor for on-site or off-site consumption, and they can ship or deliver to Pennsylvania addresses. However, out-of-state distilleries and retailers cannot ship directly to you.

Licensing and Serving Hours:

Retail establishments selling alcohol in Pennsylvania must be licensed by the PLCB, which operates on a quota system. The current quota is one license per 3,000 county inhabitants. There are various types of liquor licenses, including retail liquor licenses (for selling liquor, wine, malt, and brewed beverages) and retail dispenser licenses (for selling only brewed and malt beverages).

Serving hours for establishments with retail licenses are typically 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Sundays, provided they have a Sunday Sales Permit. There are exceptions for serving earlier than 11:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Recent Changes:

In 2016, Governor Tom Wolf signed Acts 39 and 166, loosening restrictions on beer and wine sales, allowing expanded State Store hours, and enabling wine sales at supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels. Despite these changes, you still cannot buy liquor, wine, and beer to drink at home all in the same place in Pennsylvania.

Beer sales times

Monday to Saturday

On weekdays and Saturdays, licensed retail locations, including bars and restaurants, can sell beer between 7 am and 2 am.

Sunday

On Sundays, the sale of beer is subject to different regulations. Bars and restaurants can sell beer between 9 am and 2 am Monday morning if they possess a Sunday Sales Permit. Beer distributors and breweries can sell beer from 9 am to 9 pm on Sundays, also requiring a Sunday Sales Permit. Retailers with eating places or cafes may sell beer on Sundays from 11 am to 2 am Monday morning.

Amounts and Types of Beer Sold

It is important to note that the amount and type of beer sold vary depending on the establishment. For example, beer distributors can sell beer in various package configurations, including cases, 12- or 6-packs, singles, and kegs. On the other hand, bars and restaurants typically sell beer on draft and in single bottles or cans, intended for on-premise consumption only.

Other Regulations

Pennsylvania has a complex history of liquor laws, with some of the strictest regulations in the United States. While it is not a dry state, several municipalities within the state have voted to become dry or partially dry, meaning they have restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol. The state also has strict laws regarding the minimum drinking age, open containers, and driving under the influence, with penalties for violations.

Sunday sales permits

In Pennsylvania, the sale of liquor and malt or brewed beverages is authorised on Sundays between the hours of 11 am and 2 am on Monday. This applies to licensees who qualify under the act, including hotel and certain restaurant licensees whose sales of food and non-alcoholic beverages equal 30% or more of the combined sales of both food and alcoholic beverages. These licensees may sell beverages on Sundays upon the purchase of a special annual permit from the Board.

The application for a Sunday sales permit must include the name and address of the licensee, the address of the licensed premises, the license number, and information to support the application's assertion that for at least 90 consecutive days during the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application, sales of food and non-alcoholic beverages were equal to or exceeded 30% of the combined gross sales of both food and alcoholic beverages.

The Sunday sales permit is valid only for the license year during which it is issued. It must be posted in a conspicuous place next to the license.

For both types of retail licenses, serving hours are from 7 am to 2 am Monday through Saturday, and from 11 am to 2 am on Sunday, provided the establishment has a Sunday Sales Permit. There are further exceptions where one can serve earlier than 11 am.

Licensees who wish to sell beer on Sundays must apply for a Sunday Sales Permit. This includes distributor (D) licensees, which are commonly held by neighbourhood beer distributors, and eating place (E) licensees, which are generally delis or corner stores.

D licensees may sell and/or deliver beer between 8 am and 11 pm any day, except Sunday, to unlicensed persons. If they obtain a Sunday Sales Permit, they may sell beer to unlicensed persons and holders of Special Occasion Permits on Sundays between 9 am and 9 pm.

E licensees may sell beer between 7 am and 2 am of the following day on Monday through Saturday. With a Sunday Sales Permit, they may sell beer from 11 am on Sunday until 2 am on Monday but may start as early as 9 am if they offer a "meal" as defined in the Liquor Code.

Hotel (H) and restaurant (R) licensees may sell alcohol between 7 am and 2 am of the following day on Monday through Saturday. With a Sunday Sales Permit, they may sell alcohol from 9 am on Sunday until 2 am on Monday.

Pennsylvania's alcohol laws are considered some of the strictest in the United States and can be traced back to the Prohibition era. The state has a complex system of liquor licenses with various categories and sub-categories, and the sale of alcohol is highly regulated.

Dry municipalities

Pennsylvania's liquor laws are considered some of the strictest in the United States, and this is largely due to the Prohibition era. Even after Prohibition was repealed, Governor Gifford Pinchot, a teetotaler, maintained a tough stance on alcohol control. Pinchot established the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to license establishments, set serving hours, and regulate prices.

Since 1933, alcohol sales in Pennsylvania have been a local option, with voters in each municipality deciding whether to allow alcohol sales. This has resulted in the existence of "dry" and "wet" municipalities, with some areas being partially dry. As of August 2023, about 675 of Pennsylvania's 2,560 municipalities are at least partially dry. These dry municipalities do not allow the sale of wine, spirits, malt, or brewed beverages.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board publishes a list of "damp" and "dry" municipalities in the state. In 2019, Act 48 gave municipalities the option to vote on whether to allow certain manufacturing licenses to operate within their jurisdiction. This included licenses for breweries, limited distilleries, and limited wineries.

The complex alcohol laws in Pennsylvania can make it challenging for residents and visitors to understand where and when they can purchase alcoholic beverages. The laws vary depending on the type of alcohol, the type of establishment, and the day of the week. For example, beer distributors have different restrictions compared to bottle shops, grocery stores, and bars. Additionally, the serving hours for alcohol sales differ between weekdays and Sundays.

While Pennsylvania's liquor laws have recently loosened, with Governor Tom Wolf signing acts to relax restrictions on beer and wine sales, the state still has unique regulations that can make buying alcohol less convenient compared to other states.

Drinking laws

Pennsylvania has some of the strictest alcohol regulations in the United States, which can be traced back to the Prohibition era. While it is not a dry state, it does have many dry municipalities, and its liquor laws have been described as "frustrating and restrictive".

Buying Alcohol in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's liquor laws can be confusing, as different rules apply to different places. Alcohol can be purchased from state-owned Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, which sell wine and spirits, but not beer. Beer can be purchased from beer distributors, bottle shops, bars, grocery stores, and breweries.

Opening Hours

The opening hours of alcohol retailers vary depending on the day of the week and the type of retailer. On Sundays, bars and restaurants with a proper permit can sell beer between 9 am and 2 am Monday morning. Beer distributors and breweries can sell beer on Sundays from 9 am to 9 pm with a Sunday Sales Permit. Retailers with eating places or cafes may sell beer on Sundays from 11 am to 2 am Monday morning.

On other days of the week, licensed retail locations, including bars and restaurants, can sell beer between 7 am and 2 am. There are also restrictions on the amount of alcohol that can be purchased per transaction at certain retailers. For example, grocery stores have a 192 fl oz maximum on beer sales.

Pennsylvania has strict drinking laws, with a zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking and driving. The minimum drinking age is 21, and minors are not permitted to drink alcohol, even with parental consent. Open containers are also illegal in Pennsylvania and apply to drivers and passengers in motor vehicles. The legal limit for driving is 0.08% BAC for those 21 and older, and 0.02% for those under 21.

Recent Changes

Pennsylvania's liquor laws have recently been relaxed, making it easier to buy alcohol. In 2016, Governor Tom Wolf signed Acts 39 and 166, loosening restrictions on beer and wine sales and allowing for expanded store hours. Despite these changes, Pennsylvania's alcohol laws remain complex and can be challenging to navigate.

Frequently asked questions