Can you buy beer after 9pm in Texas?

Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in June that included an amendment to the Alcoholic Beverage Code that changed when Texans can buy beer and wine on Sundays.

Here's what you should know about the law, which went into effect on Sept. 1:

At what time can beer and alcohol be purchased on a Sunday in El Paso? 

The law allows retailers selling beer and wine to begin those sales at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

When were people previously allowed to buy beer and wine on Sunday in El Paso?

Before the change, alcohol sales on Sunday could not start until noon on Sunday. 

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Can people now also buy liquor in El Paso on Sundays?

No. The amendment to the law does not allow for a change in liquor sales, which must end at 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and are not allowed on Sunday.

What does all of this have to do with Texas hotels?

The amendment also allows hotel bars to sell alcohol at anytime to a registered guest. 

Why have there been limits on Sunday alcohol sales in Texas?

According to a 2016 Ken Herman column in the American-Statesman, "From 1961 through 1985, the Texas Blue Law banned the sale of an odd collection of 42 items (hammers and screwdrivers could be sold, but not nails or screws) on both days of the weekend. It forced many stores to close on Sundays and others to rope off sections with stuff they couldn't sell. The 1985 Legislature killed the Blue Law, save for the portion covering package liquor stores and auto dealers, effectively keeping them closed on Sundays." 

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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.

Was the vote to pass the amendment to the hours close?

No. HB 1518 was passed by the House by a vote of 126 Yeas to 19 Nays, with 1 present, not voting.

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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 House Bill 1518 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.

What Time Can You Buy Beer in Texas Stores? What Time Do They Stop Selling Beer in Texas?

Grocery and convenience stores start selling beer at 7am Monday through Saturday, and Sunday sales now begin at 10am. They stop selling at midnight Sunday through Friday, but you have until 1am on Saturday.

What Time Can You Buy Liquor in Texas Stores?

Texas's liquor laws are stricter than those for beer.

Texas liquor stores are closed on Sundays, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If Christmas or New Year's falls on a Sunday, they have to remain closed on Monday.

Every other day, Texas liquor stores, sometimes called "package" stores, operate from 10am to 9pm.

What Time Can You Buy Wine in Texas Stores?

For grocery and convenience stores, Texas's alcohol sales times for wine are the same as beer: Monday through Friday 7am to midnight, Saturday 7am to 1am, and Sundays now from 10am to midnight.

Aside from grocery or convenience stores, there are also package stores that sell beer and/or wine, but not liquor. If a package store only sells wine, they have the same operating hours as a liquor store. If they sell beer and wine but nothing else, then special restrictions apply to the sales of wine with an alcohol content over 17%.

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.

Texas's on-premises service hours are similar to their beer sales hours – they start at 7am Monday through Saturday, end at midnight Sunday through Friday, and end at 1am on Saturday.

There are just a few extra wrinkles:

• Sunday start times at bars or restaurants depend on whether you're ordering food as well – if you are, you can be served at 10am. If not, you can't be served either until noon.
• Alcohol service can begin at 10am on Sunday during live events at sports venues, festivals, fairs, or concerts, whether food is served or not.
• Certain bars or restaurants in the state can serve until 2am 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 8am to midnight every day but Sunday, when their hours are 10am to midnight.

Due to COVID-19, on-premises licensees are allowed to offer alcohol pickup and delivery for the moment under certain conditions.

Why Are Texas Alcohol Laws So Complicated?

Texas alcohol laws are sometimes referred to as ABC laws (short for Alcohol Beverage Control) or liquor laws, whether you're specifically talking about liquor, beer, wine, or all three.

Mostly, Texas liquor laws are complicated because they've been around for a long time, are regulated at multiple levels, and deal with a large, complex industry. The state passed its first "Blue Laws" (alcohol bans) in 1935, two years after the end of federal Prohibition. Some counties or municipalities have separate alcohol laws enforced on top of the state laws.

ABC laws have grown and evolved based on the needs and sensibilities of Texans themselves. Over time, that's made them a complicated mess.

Who Regulates Texas Liquor Laws?

Sometimes a change to Texas's alcohol laws comes straight from the Texas legislature. That's what happened with the recent House Bill 1518, which expanded Texas's Sunday alcohol sales hours.

There's also the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which used to be called the Texas Liquor Control Board. TABC writes specific regulations that help them enforces ABC laws.

Texas has many different types of liquor licenses and permits based on the type of business, and they all have slightly different rules.

How Do Sellers and Servers Keep Texas Alcohol Laws Straight?

Every business is responsible for securing the right license and making sure they follow the right rules.

However, many of the people that actually enforce the rules are employees that weren't involved in the licensing or permitting process. In the case of retail establishments that sell or serve to the public, these employees are often high-turnover wage workers.

That leaves a pretty big liability for everyone involved, and it's why Texas passed the Safe Harbor Act, which protects an employer from TABC administrative action if an employee sells or serves alcohol when they shouldn't.

However, to be protected, the employer has to meet certain conditions. One of the biggest conditions is making sure that sellers and servers have up-to-date and approved training on TABC's rules.

As a result, most employers require "TABC Certification," or proof of TABC-approved training.

Get TABC-Approved Training Online

TABC Certification training is 2 hours long and needs to be repeated every 2 years.

One of the easiest and most convenient ways to earn your certification is by completing a TABC-approved online course like ours. It's cheap and mobile-friendly, so you can take it anywhere and not break the bank.

Bundle it with our food handler training, and you'll be ready for restaurant service in no time.

Enroll today!

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