Picture this: You’re running errands and need to stop by the liquor store.
Can you
California has strict laws restricting where you’re allowed to take people under 21.
California’s alcohol laws aim “to prevent underage drinking and its associated risks, such as impaired driving, accidents and long-term health issues,” according to Eisner Gorin LLP, a law firm with offices in Encino and Los Angeles.
Are you allowed to bring children inside businesses that sell or serve alcohol?
What are the rules for going shopping, wine tasting or barhopping with kids in tow?
Here’s what to know:
Are children allowed in liquor stores in California?
In California, children are allowed to enter liquor stores or grocery stores selling beer, wine and hard alcohol.
However, all alcoholic products for sale at these stores must be consumed off the premises.
It’s illegal in California to sell, furnish or give alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21 years old.
People under 21 years old are banned from entering bars and nightclubs in California. Leila Touati ltouati@thetribunenews.com Are people under 21 allowed in bars or nightclubs?
People under 21 are not allowed to enter or stay inside bars or nightclubs in California that only sell alcohol, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Under California law, businesses with liquor licenses can be penalized for allowing underage people inside.
So can the minors who enter those businesses.
To make this clear, bars are required to display signs reading “No Person Under 21 Allowed” at or near each public entrance, the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Department said.
Can I bring my child to a restaurant that serves alcohol?
In California, you can bring a minor into a restaurant that serves alcohol as long as the business primarily sells food.
“The establishment must be classified as a ‘bona fide public eating place,’ meaning it must primarily function as a restaurant where meals are regularly served and consumed,” said Liquor License, a liquor license brokerage agency with offices in California, New Jersey and Arizona.
Underage customers typically need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, but some cities and counties may have additional regulations.
Restaurants are allowed to set their own policies regarding underage people sitting at the bar, Liquor License said.
Children are also allowed to visit breweries and wineries, as long as food is served on the premises.
What happens if businesses sell alcohol to minors?
Under California law, any business licensed to sell liquor that “permits a person under the age of 21 years to enter and remain” inside “without lawful business” can be found guilty of a misdemeanor.
The penalty is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and no more than six months in jail.
An alcohol vendor that permits underage drinking on its premises can face $250 in fines and 24 to 32 hours of community service, according to Southern California law firm Shouse Law Group.
If you’re caught selling or giving alcohol to a minor, you could face a $1,000 fine and at least 24 hours of community service, Shouse Law Group said.
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control can also suspend the business’ liquor license for 15 days for a first offense, or 25 days for a second offense within a three-year period.
A third offense could result in the liquor license being revoked entirely.
What’s the penalty for underage drinking?
Anyone under 21 caught sneaking into a bar or nightclub can be convicted of a misdemeanor and charged with up to $200 in fines, according to the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control.
Penalties for minors convicted of buying alcohol at a bar or drinking it on the premises include a $250 fine and 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first offense, Shouse California Law Group said.
Subsequent offenses are punishable up to $500 in fines and 36 to 48 hours of community service.
Loading…
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
Alexiah Syrai Olsen
The Tribune
Alexiah Syrai Olsen is a service journalism reporter for The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, California. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and design from The New School in New York City.
Dining and Cooking