When is buying alcohol in Texas allowed, and when is it forbidden? The laws on when you can buy alcohol in Texas can be a little confusing, but remembering a couple of simple rules can help ensure you don’t take any more heartbroken trips to the liquor store than absolutely necessary.
The Houston DWI lawyers at Thiessen Law Firm know the Texas drinking laws like the backs of their hands and are here to tell you everything you need to know about when you can and when you can’t buy alcohol in Texas.
Remember, if you find yourself facing an alcohol-related offense, whether that be a DWI first offense or breaking the open container law in Texas, Thiessen Law Firm is here to help. Call us today at (713) 864-9000 for an experienced and aggressive defense.
When can you buy alcohol in Texas?
The hours in which you can buy alcohol are regulated (and often tweaked) by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). The TABC splits up how, when, and where alcohol is sold in Texas based on its alcohol by volume (ABV); liquor can only be sold at liquor stores, while beer and wine can be sold in grocery stores, gas stations, and other shops.
What time can you buy beer in Texas?
Wondering, “Can I buy beer right now in Texas?” take a look at the chart below to find out.
| Day of the week | Start time | End time |
| Monday – Friday | 7 a.m. | Midnight |
| Saturday | 7 a.m. | 1 a.m. |
| Sunday | 10 a.m. | Midnight |
What time can you buy liquor in Texas?
While you can always go get a drink at a bar as long as they’re open, buying your own bottle of booze might be a bit more complicated.
| Day of the week | Start time | End time |
| Monday – Saturday | 10 a.m. | 9 p.m. |
| Sunday | Closed | Closed |
Because you can only buy liquor at liquor stores in Texas, when you can get liquor is dictated by liquor stores’ more restrictive hours. Liquor stores in Texas are closed on Sundays, as well as observed federal holidays like New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas.
FAQ about the Texas alcohol laws
Can grocery stores sell liquor in Texas?
Grocery stores and convenience stores cannot sell liquor in Texas, only beer and wine.
Under current TABC regulations, grocery and convenience stores can only sell alcoholic beverages that are under 17% ABV. They also may not carry your favorite hard seltzer, as they’re not permitted to sell any beverage containing spirits (most hard seltzers are actually malt beverages).
Can grocery stores sell beer before 10 a.m.?
Let’s say it’s 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning, and you’re headed out to fish, but the person behind the counter won’t sell you your 12-pack. They’re not messing with you: Monday through Saturday, grocery stores can sell beer as early as 7 a.m., but you’ll have to wait until 10 a.m. to buy on Sundays.
Why can’t you buy alcohol on Sunday in Texas?
This one goes back a long way, and we regret to tell you that it doesn’t make much sense. Liquor sales have been restricted on Sundays in Texas since The Texas Liquor Control Act, which was passed in 1935, after the official repeal of Prohibition.
The Texas Liquor Control Board, which has since morphed into the TABC, made their name by passing a slew of “blue laws” which would keep Texas from falling into Prohibition panic.
“Blue laws” have been around even longer than the TABC, and were intended to keep certain types of commerce — activities like drinking, gambling, horse racing, and other fun things — from happening on Sunday, which was reserved for going to church maintaining the community’s piety.
Do you need a bag for alcohol in Texas?
Have you ever had a gas station attendant or a liquor store employee insist on putting your purchase in a brown paper bag or tell you that it is against the law for them to sell without one?
This isn’t really true, or at the very least it no longer is. In Texas, there is no state law that mandates that alcohol purchases must be placed in a bag, but some stores might have their own policies requiring that alcohol be bagged.
Does Texas still have dry counties?
As of the writing of this article (July 2024), there are only four completely dry counties remaining in Texas: Borden, Kent, Roberts, and Throckmorton — but counties in Texas are not either wet or dry, because liquor laws are on a sliding scale.
For example, Harris County itself is actually a partially dry county, because of the prohibitive laws on when and where you can buy beer and liquor.
Some of these laws may seem dated and particularly punitive, but then again, so are almost all of the Texas laws on drinking. Just ask anyone who has gotten a DWI in Texas.
Continue reading about how much a DWI costs in Texas
On the wrong side of Texas liquor laws? Call Thiessen Law Firm for relentless criminal defense.
While Texas claims to be the land of the free, we know that legally, that doesn’t always ring true. Buying alcohol in Texas can sometimes be a frustrating experience, and unfortunately, things are the way they are because of antiquated sensibilities and dated laws.
If you or a loved one is ever on the wrong end of Texas’ harsh stance on the purchase and consumption of alcohol, give Mark Thiessen a call. Mark is a triple-board certified DWI attorney in Houston who has made his name on fighting for his clients’ freedom in tough DWI cases.
If you need someone to have your back in a Texas court, you need to call Thiessen Law Firm at (713) 864-9000 or contact us online today to protect your freedom.
More Helpful Articles by Thiessen Law Firm:
- Refusing a Breathalyzer in Texas: Why “Do Not Blow” is Bad Advice
- When Can Police Search Your Car in Texas?
- What Happens After Being Arrested for a DWI
- What Not To Do After a DWI Arrest
- Can a Breathalyzer Test Be Wrong?
