Do You Have To ID Everyone Buying Alcohol?

Published on September 21, 2023

Mark Simons

Are you thinking of a booze night? It could be heaven, or it could be hell, but do you even have the permit to choose? Remember, minors are not allowed, and nor are they visibly intoxicated. Now, well, you might be thinking of clever strategies. You might be asking if you have to ID everyone buying alcohol, but it’s just make-believe. You are trying to make yourself believe that you can buy drinks even when you are a minor.

That bar guy could as well lose his job and land up in corrections with bloody penalties if he does not ask and validate your ID. Nevertheless, at times, the ID may not be necessary when it is obvious that the alcohol request is well above the age of consent and that the buyer is not visibly intoxicated.

It depends.

No joke! The legal drinking age for minors varies from state to state; usually, it’s 21, such as in California, Texas, Florida, and NY, but in Oregon, everyone who appears to be under 26 must show a valid ID. Thinking of the original sin in Oregon: strict no-no. Even if the liquor shop unknowingly sells alcohol to a minor in Oregon, the person responsible is liable to four convictions initiated in Class A Violation and concluded in a Class A Misdemeanor.

Table of Contents

Penalties Levied on Minors and Bar Counters

Do You Have To ID Everyone Buying Alcohol

Mala fide distribution of alcohol to minors is punishable per se by fatalities, damages, and other liabilities (including document forgery) by the influence of liquor. Do you have to ID everyone buying alcohol?

Legal Abstracts

Oregon State stipulates the maximum punishment of Class A Misdemeanor edict culminating in a 1-year jail term and a fine up to USD 6,250.

The TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) enforces regulatory penalties on assessment of violations such as serving alcohol to a minor, to an intoxicated person, or to allow an individual to disburse the drink while under the influence. The Executive Director can authorize permit suspension for 60 days and a civil penalty of a maximum of USD 25,000 for each day of a suspended permit.
Attempting to buy alcohol with a forged license in Florida invokes a maximum five-year jail term and a fine of USD 5,000.
The second violation by a minor in Florida invites a fine of USD 1,000 and up to a year of prison term. Even the first violation is a felony, with a 50-day jail term and a penalty of USD 500.

The California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Sections 25658 and 25662 enforce misdemeanor offenses on minors for purchasing, possessing, and consuming alcoholic beverages.
New York pursues a zero-tolerance policy for individuals under 21 for drunken driving. Additional penalties include license suspension or revocation, possible jail term, and the tentative installation of an Ignition Interlock Device.

Valid Legal Documents to Establish Right for Alcohol

The legal document requirements are more or less similar in all US states. The written law definitions acknowledge the following, but there might be specific exceptions according to the rules at the point of sale.

Document List

The following document lists may not be inclusive or acceptable in all states, but these are usually recognized as valid. Besides the documentation to prevent minors, business owners are required to conduct a good faith visual examination to determine whether an adult seeking alcohol is intoxicated.

The lady at the bar counter (Hotel California?) is also adequately trained to check the back of the license to establish whether it is a forged document. The ID card must display a recognizable photo, name, DOB, and a physical description of the cardholder.

A valid driver’s license (unexpired and unaltered) issued to a US state, to the District of Columbia, or at a province or territory of Canada

A valid photo Identification Card (unexpired and unaltered) issued by a US state, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, or in Canada
A valid photo Identification Card for Indian tribes
A valid passport or passport card

A valid US Military ID card
A valid NEXUS or SENTRI card

Red Flags to Identify a Fake

Don’t get fooled by beards and mustaches.

Some minors may have a voluminous physical appearance. It’s an intimidation impact that can be easily overridden if you stick to the law. Weighty individuals are not above the law.
Some minors may attempt to lie by making direct eye contact. However, liars always mix up facts with fiction. Facts: eye contact (truth). Fiction: no eye contact (fake). The bottom line is that you should adhere to the law and check whether the eye contact is steady or is shifting.
Minor females may fake it with grown-up clothing, makeup, slang, and accessories.

Always inspect the ID in your hands, and not from the hands of the customer. If someone is denying handing over the ID, it is a red flag.
Check the ID typefaces. They should be congruent and without typos.

How to Enjoy Drinking Responsibly

While you are trying to buy alcohol, given that all your documents are valid, it is important to remember that alcohol is a drug. Enjoy it responsibly. Most are under the false paradox that the more you drink, the more you get high. You are wrong.

It’s the first high! The first exhilaration of the elixir does not get any better with overdrinking. Instead, excess consumption makes it numb. Ultimately, you black out, feel sick, and so on. How can feeling sick and throwing up be a good thing?

The code is to listen to your body. When you are satisfied, don’t push it. You should stop before your body decides to stop you from drinking any further. You intuitively know when to stop before blacking out.

Also, listen to the lady at the counter. Bartenders don’t drink on the job, and they know best how to maintain decorum at the place.