What will happen if I get caught selling alcohol to minors?

Selling alcohol to a minor is a crime, and both the sales person and the owner of the business can face penalties for doing so. The penalties differ depending on the state in which the sale takes place, as well as other factors like whether or not the sale was made knowingly. Penalties can include misdemeanor charges, loss of a business’ liquor license, jail sentences up to 30 days, and fines; the penalties may increase, sometimes substantially, if the minor is under the age of eighteen.

The business owner/ holder of the liquor license, as well as the clerk who made the sale, can both face identical penalties for sale of alcohol to a minor, regardless of who made the sale or who was present at the time. The theory is that the owner of the business is responsible for properly training employees to verify customer age by checking ID, and that the sales person is responsible for performing his or her duty correctly by following through on this.

In most situations where the sale was made unknowingly and it was a first offense, both the license holder and the sales person will likely face a jail sentence of up to 30 days and/ or a small fine. If the customer was under 18, the penalties may increase up to a year in jail and a fine up to $1,000. The sales person may also be facing civil penalties for negligence, along with the same charges as the license holder. Finally, the sales person, should this be a repeat offense, can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. 

In some cases, both parties can also be held liable if the minor’s consumption leads to further consequences such as an automobile accident.

Because of the potentially serious penalties you face if you are caught selling alcohol to minors, it is a good idea to get a lawyer.