Drinking Laws

Underage Drinking

If you are under the age of 21, it is illegal for you to: BUY, TRY TO BUY, CARRY, or DRINK any alcoholic beverage.

In addition, if you are under the age of 21, it is illegal for you to be drunk in public and the consequences are more severe than if you are over 21 and drunk in public. It is also illegal to use a false ID or lie about your age to try to get alcoholic beverages.

You can avoid consequences if your parent or guardian allows you to drink alcohol and you drink the alcohol in their presence or if you drink alcohol for religious purposes.

If you break any of these laws, then you may face these consequences:

  • Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500,
  • Attendance at an alcohol awareness class,
  • 8 to 40 hours community service, and
  • Loss of your driver license for 30 to 180 days.

If you are 17 or older and it’s your third violation, then you could be fined up to $2,000, jailed for up to 180 days, or both. Your driver license will also be suspended.

If you have been convicted of breaking the underage alcohol laws before and if you do not attend the alcohol awareness class, then your driver license will be suspended for one year.

If you give alcohol to someone under 21, then you can get into a lot of trouble. The punishment for giving or even offering alcoholic beverages to someone under 21 years old is a Class A misdemeanor that can be punished by a fine of up to $4,000, jail for up to a year, or both. Your driver license will also be suspended for 180 days.

If you are 17 or older, depending on the number of prior offenses, the fine can be up to $500-$2,000, you can be jailed for up to 180 days, and your driver license suspended for up to one year. The penalties for drunk driving are much more strict and, even if you are under the age of 17, you can be charged with drunk driving, which carries much harsher consequences.  

Zero Tolerance Law

By now you have heard about the dangers of drinking and driving. About one person is killed every 39 minutes in an alcohol-related car accident. If you drink and drive, you risk your own safety, the safety of everyone in your car, and the safety of everyone else on the road. If you hurt someone while driving drunk, you may face serious criminal charges, including homicide.

Even if you do not hurt anyone, there are still serious consequences for driving while under the influence of alcohol. It is illegal for adults over 21 to drive while intoxicated (exceeding the legal limit for alcohol in your system). It is also illegal for anyone under 21 to drive while having any alcohol in their system.

If you are under 21 years old and drive after drinking any alcohol, you face these consequences:

First Offense

  • Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500
  • Attendance at an alcohol awareness class
  • 20 to 40 hours of mandatory community service
  • Loss of your driver license for up to six months

Second Offense

  • Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500
  • Attendance at an alcohol awareness class
  • 40 to 60 hours of mandatory community service
  • Loss of your driver license for up to one year

Third Offense

  • Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500
  • Attendance at an alcohol awareness class
  • 40 to 60 hours of mandatory community service
  • Loss of your driver license for up to one year

If you give alcohol to someone and that person hurts someone else – like if they get in a car accident – then you can also be held responsible for the damage or harm they caused.