Texas Alcohol Law: What Time Do Stores Stop Selling Beer? – Beer sales start at 7 AM at grocery stores and 7-Elevens Monday through Saturday and 10 AM on Sunday. Sunday through Friday, sales end at midnight, but on Saturday, you have until 1 AM. It is against the law in Texas to sell beer and wine, or any type of liquor, before 10 AM on a Sunday.
The “blue laws,” which were put in place right after Prohibition, have been updated by these new laws. Concerned Texans voted for them after it became legal again to serve and sell alcohol. Now, almost 100 years later, the Texan government has finally loosened the rules about the Sunday sales restrictions.
Read: What’s the Cheapest Beer To Drink?
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What time is beer sold in Texas on Sunday?
Hours of Sale and Consumption – On-premise license or permit (e.g., bar or restaurant):
Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. – midnightSaturday: 7 a.m. – 1 a.m. (Sunday morning)Sunday: Noon – midnight (10 a.m. – noon only with the service of food)If the establishment is in a city or county legal for late hours and they have a late-hours permit, they can sell alcohol for on-premise consumption until 2 a.m. any night of the week.
Off-premise beer/wine license or permit (e.g., convenience store or grocery store):
Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. – midnightSaturday: 7 a.m. – 1 a.m. (Sunday morning)Sunday: 10 a.m. – midnightA wine-only package store that holds a beer license may not sell wine containing more than 17% alcohol by volume on a Sunday or after 10 p.m. on any day.A wine-only package store that does not hold a beer license must have the same hours of sale as a package store.
Liquor store (also known as package store):
Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.Closed on Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.If Christmas Day or New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, closed the following Monday.
Sports venue:
A sports venue is a public entertainment facility property that is primarily designed and used for live sporting events, as defined by Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 108.73.In addition to any other period when the sale of alcohol is authorized, a licensed or permitted premises located in a sports venue may sell alcoholic beverages between 10 a.m. and noon Sunday.
Festival, fair or concert:
In addition to any other period when the sale of alcohol is authorized, a licensed or permitted premises located at a festival, fair or concert may sell alcoholic beverages between 10 a.m. and noon Sunday.
Winery:
Monday – Saturday: 8 a.m. – midnightSunday: 10 a.m. – midnight
This depends on the type of area. An “extended-hours area” means an area subject to the extended hours of sale provided in Alcoholic Beverage Code sections 105.03 or 105.05. In an extended-hours area, a person may not consume or possess with intent to consume an alcoholic beverage in a public place:
Monday – Saturday: Before 7 a.m. or after 2:15 a.m.Sunday: Before noon or after 2:15 a.m.Exception: Consumption is legal between 10 a.m. and noon Sunday:
At an on-premise establishment when the beverage is sold along with the service of food to a customer.At a winery, fair, festival, concert or sports venue.
In a standard-hours area, a person may not consume or possess with intent to consume an alcoholic beverage in a public place:
Monday – Friday: Before 7 a.m. or after 12:15 a.m.Saturday: Before 7 a.m. or after 1:15 a.m.Sunday: Before noon or after 12:15 a.m.Exception: Consumption is legal between 10a.m. and noon Sunday:
At an on-premise establishment when it is sold along with the service of food to a customer.At a winery, fair, festival, concert or sports venue.
A general, local or branch distributor’s license holder may sell, offer for sale or deliver beer anytime except between 1 a.m. and noon Sunday.
A Wholesaler’s Permit (W) holder may sell, offer for sale or deliver liquor anytime except Sunday and Christmas Day.A Local Distributor’s Permit (LP) holder may sell, offer for sale or deliver liquor to a retailer between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on any day except Sunday, Christmas Day or any day when a Package Store Permit (P) holder is prohibited from selling liquor.
Distributors and wholesalers of malt beverages and wine can restock, rotate, affix prices, and reset or rearrange alcoholic beverages they sell from 5 a.m. to noon Sunday. See TABC Administrative Rule 45.109(d)
When the time changes at 2 a.m. in the fall, licensees and permittees may sell for an additional hour because the legal time is 1 a.m.When daylight saving time takes place in the spring, the legal time is 3:00 a.m. when the time changes. Technically, no one should be publicly consuming or selling alcoholic beverages at that time. TABC agents have traditionally given patrons the 15 minutes they have under the extended-hours definition to consume the rest of the drinks legally purchased before 2 a.m.
Yes. There are no laws against selling alcohol on election day.
What time can you order beer in Texas?
Does this amendment affect when people can buy beer and wine on days other than Sunday in Texas? – No. A person may sell, offer for sale, or deliver malt beverages between 7 a.m. and midnight Monday-Friday and on Saturday nights until 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Is it no alcohol on Sunday in Texas?
Update: Updated at 4:05 p.m. March 9 with a statement from a group opposing the bills. A couple of Texas lawmakers want to end the state’s ban on Sunday liquor sales. State Sen. Kelly Hancock, who represents Fort Worth, has filed a bill to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails seven days a week.
- Rep. Justin Holland, of Rockwall, filed a similar bill in the Texas House last month.
- Under current Texas law, ready-to-drink cocktails made with vodka, tequila and other spirits are sold in liquor stores, which must close on Sundays.
- Grocery and convenience stores are permitted to sell only beer and wine on Sundays.
But Hancock said he wants to continue to keep “free market principles at the core of Texas’ economic success.” Political Points Get the latest politics news from North Texas and beyond. “As industries innovate and new products become staples in the marketplace, it only makes sense for us to take a look at ways government can reduce regulatory red tape,” Hancock said in a statement from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
Hancock did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday or say whether he would support allowing liquor stores to open Sundays. Related: Here’s how it’s going since Texas lifted a ban on Sunday morning beer and wine sales Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas, a trade association which opposes the bills, said this would allow children as young as 16 to sell hard liquor.
Currently, the minimum age to sell liquor is 21. “There is no great consumer demand to make this drastic change to Texas liquor law,” President Tom Spilman said in an email. The bills come two years after Texas moved to considerably loosen restrictions on alcohol sales.
State leaders changed the law to allow restaurants to sell to-go drinks and permit beer and wine sales on Sunday mornings, Before that, sales were prohibited before noon. Texas has restricted liquor sales on Sundays since 1935 when the Texas Liquor Control Act was passed in response to the repeal of Prohibition.
Bills to allow liquor stores to open on Sundays failed in the past. But the rise in ready-to-drink cocktails might help soften the ban. Drinks like canned Ranch Waters from Dallas-based RancH2O and whiskey-based cocktails from Fort Worth’s TX Whiskey distillery have helped drive the surge.
- Pre-mixed cocktails generated $1.6 billion in sales in the U.S.
- In 2021, up more than 40% from the previous year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council, a trade association representing producers and marketers.
- By 2025, canned cocktails are predicted to account for 8% of all alcohol sales, doubling the share since 2020, according to International Wines and Spirits Record, which analyzes alcohol sales.
“States all across the U.S. are taking a look at beverage laws to ensure consumers of these products are being treated fairly, and Texas consumers should not get left behind,” Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council, said in a statement.
Can you buy beer all day in Texas?
What Time Can You Be Served Alcohol in Texas? – Alcohol sales hours are different if you’re being served for consumption on-premises, as you would at a bar or restaurant. For on-premises consumption, the rules are the same whether you’re buying beer, wine, liquor, or mixed drinks.
Sunday start times at bars or restaurants depend on whether you’re ordering food as well – if you are, you can be served at 10 am. If not, you can’t be done either until noon. Alcohol service can begin at 10 am on Sunday during live events at sports venues, festivals, fairs, or concerts, whether food is served. Certain bars or restaurants in the state can serve until 2 am any night of the week with a “late hours” permit. Hotel bars can serve registered guests at any time of day.
Wineries, which are usually a mix of on- and off-premises sales, can operate from 8 am to midnight every day but Sunday, when their hours are 10 am to midnight. Due to COVID-19, on-premises licensees can offer alcohol pickup and delivery for the moment under certain conditions,
Can you buy beer in Texas on Sunday morning?
At what time can beer and alcohol be purchased on a Sunday in Texas? – The law allows retailers selling beer and wine to begin those sales at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
When can you buy beer in Texas on weekdays?
Texans can now legally buy alcohol before noon on Sundays WACO, Texas (KWTX) – A change in state law now allows Texas to legally buy beer and wine at stores starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The 87th Texas Legislature passed in the spring and it went into effect on Wednesday, Sept.1.
The law amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code which previously required grocery stores and convenience stores wait until noon to sell beer and wine. During weekdays stores can sell beer and wine from 7 a.m. until midnight Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. Saturday until 1 a.m. Sunday. The law only applies to beer and wine.
Liquor is still not allowed to be sold on Sundays and liquor stores are to be remained closed on Sundays. Liquor sales are also prohibited on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day and before 10 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on any other day. The bill does provide an exception for hotel bars to sell alcohol to registered guests at any time of day.
- The Texas alcohol bans, often referred to as Blue Laws, date back to 1935 when lawmakers passed the Texas Liquor Control Act in response to the repeal of Prohibition.
- This year Gov.
- Greg Abbott also signed a bipartisan bill making alcohol to-go sales legal in the state.
- The state had temporarily allowed the practice during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
R Copyright 2021 KWTX. All rights reserved. : Texans can now legally buy alcohol before noon on Sundays
Can a passenger drink beer in Texas?
CAN A PASSENGER DRINK ALCOHOL IN A VEHICLE? – No. In Texas, open containers are prohibited in any seating area of a vehicle, including the driver’s side, passenger side or backseat. It’s illegal to knowingly possess an Open Container of alcohol in a vehicle on a public highway. It doesn’t matter if the vehicle is stopped or parked.
Are there passenger exceptions for open containers in Texas? There are some passenger exceptions to Open Container laws. In Texas, passengers may have an open container in buses, taxis, limousines, and motorhomes.
Are flasks considered Open Containers? Flasks are considered Open Containers in Texas. A passenger drinking from a flask may be cited for Open Container. A solo driver found with a flask accessible in the vehicle may also be charged.
Can a passenger have a beer in Texas?
DWI & Open Container Law in Texas – Under Texas law, it is illegal to have an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle. This includes the glove compartment, center console, or anywhere else that is within reach of the driver or passengers.
- The only exception to this rule is if the open container is stored in the trunk of the car.
- If a driver is caught with an open container in their car, they will likely be charged with a Class C misdemeanor.
- Although a conviction will only result in a fine worth up to $500, it will also lead to a permanent criminal record.
However, if a driver is also charged with another offense related to alcohol, such as driving while intoxicated (DWI), they may face more severe penalties. For example, if a driver is caught with an open container and convicted of DWI, they may be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID) in their car.
This device prevents a driver from starting their vehicle if it detects alcohol on the driver’s breath. Therefore, if a driver is caught with an open container of alcohol in Texas, they should ensure they know their rights and understand the possible penalties. Open container laws are important because they help keep people safe on the roads.
If everyone had open containers of alcohol in their cars, there most likely would be significantly more drunk driving accidents in the Lonestar State. Open container laws are intended to deter people from drinking and driving and they also help to keep people who have been drinking off the roads.
Can I buy beer at Walmart on Sunday in Texas?
Beer can be bought at grocery stores or other retailers starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, and have until midnight to do so.
Does Texas start selling beer on Sundays?
What Time Can You Be Served Alcohol in Texas? – Alcohol sales hours are different if you’re being served for consumption on-premises, as you would at a bar or restaurant. For on-premises consumption, the rules are the same whether you’re buying beer, wine, liquor, or mixed drinks.
Sunday start times at bars or restaurants depend on whether you’re ordering food as well – if you are, you can be served at 10 am. If not, you can’t be done either until noon. Alcohol service can begin at 10 am on Sunday during live events at sports venues, festivals, fairs, or concerts, whether food is served. Certain bars or restaurants in the state can serve until 2 am any night of the week with a “late hours” permit. Hotel bars can serve registered guests at any time of day.
Wineries, which are usually a mix of on- and off-premises sales, can operate from 8 am to midnight every day but Sunday, when their hours are 10 am to midnight. Due to COVID-19, on-premises licensees can offer alcohol pickup and delivery for the moment under certain conditions,
Can you buy beer at 7 am in Texas?
Does this amendment affect when people can buy beer and wine on days other than Sunday? – No. A person may sell, offer for sale, or deliver malt beverages between 7 a.m. and midnight Monday-Friday and on Saturday nights until 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Can you buy beer after 10 on Sunday in Texas?
No. Alcohol sales are still allowed between 7 a.m. and midnight, Monday through Saturday. You can, however, buy booze until 1 a.m. on Sunday.