ILCS » Chapter 235 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

235 ILCS 5/6-16 (2026)

Prohibited sales and possession

✓ current as of May 2026
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(235 ILCS 5/6-16) (from Ch. 43, par. 131)
    Sec. 6-16. Prohibited sales and possession.
    (a) (i) No licensee nor any officer, associate, member, representative, agent, or employee of such licensee shall sell, give, or deliver alcoholic liquor to any person under the age of 21 years or to any intoxicated person, except as provided in Section 6-16.1. (ii) No express company, common carrier, or contract carrier nor any representative, agent, or employee on behalf of an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State shall knowingly give or knowingly deliver to a residential address any shipping container clearly labeled as containing alcoholic liquor and labeled as requiring signature of an adult of at least 21 years of age to any person in this State under the age of 21 years. An express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports such alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State shall obtain a signature at the time of delivery acknowledging receipt of the alcoholic liquor by an adult who is at least 21 years of age. At no time while delivering alcoholic beverages within this State may any representative, agent, or employee of an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State deliver the alcoholic liquor to a residential address without the acknowledgment of the consignee and without first obtaining a signature at the time of the delivery by an adult who is at least 21 years of age. A signature of a person on file with the express company, common carrier, or contract carrier does not constitute acknowledgement of the consignee. Any express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State that violates this item (ii) of this subsection (a) by delivering alcoholic liquor without the acknowledgement of the consignee and without first obtaining a signature at the time of the delivery by an adult who is at least 21 years of age is guilty of a business offense for which the express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that transports alcoholic liquor within this State shall be fined not more than $1,001 for a first offense, not more than $5,000 for a second offense, and not more than $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense. An express company, common carrier, or contract carrier shall be held vicariously liable for the actions of its representatives, agents, or employees. For purposes of this Act, in addition to other methods authorized by law, an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier shall be considered served with process when a representative, agent, or employee alleged to have violated this Act is personally served. Each shipment of alcoholic liquor delivered in violation of this item (ii) of this subsection (a) constitutes a separate offense. (iii) No person, after purchasing or otherwise obtaining alcoholic liquor, shall sell, give, or deliver such alcoholic liquor to another person under the age of 21 years, except in the performance of a religious ceremony or service. Except as otherwise provided in item (ii), any express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that transports alcoholic liquor within this State that violates the provisions of item (i), (ii), or (iii) of this paragraph of this subsection (a) is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and the sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, a fine of not less than $500. Any person who violates the provisions of item (iii) of this paragraph of this subsection (a) is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and the sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to a fine of not less than $500 for a first offense and not less than $2,000 for a second or subsequent offense. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of item (iii) of this paragraph of this subsection (a) is guilty of a Class 4 felony if a death occurs as the result of the violation.
    If a licensee or officer, associate, member, representative, agent, or employee of the licensee, or a representative, agent, or employee of an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State, is prosecuted under this paragraph of this subsection (a) for selling, giving, or delivering alcoholic liquor to a person under the age of 21 years, the person under 21 years of age who attempted to buy or receive the alcoholic liquor may be prosecuted pursuant to Section 6-20 of this Act, unless the person under 21 years of age was acting under the authority of a law enforcement agency, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, or a local liquor control commissioner pursuant to a plan or action to investigate, patrol, or conduct any similar enforcement action.
    For the purpose of preventing the violation of this Section, any licensee, or his agent or employee, or a representative, agent, or employee of an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State, shall refuse to sell, deliver, or serve alcoholic beverages to any person who is unable to produce adequate written evidence of identity and of the fact that he or she is over the age of 21 years, if requested by the licensee, agent, employee, or representative.
    Adequate written evidence of age and identity of the person is a document issued by a federal, state, county, or municipal government, or subdivision or agency thereof, including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle operator's license, a registration certificate issued under the Federal Selective Service Act, or an identification card issued to a member of the Armed Forces. Proof that the defendant-licensee, or his employee or agent, or the representative, agent, or employee of the express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State demanded, was shown and reasonably relied upon such written evidence in any transaction forbidden by this Section is an affirmative defense in any criminal prosecution therefor or to any proceedings for the suspension or revocation of any license based thereon. It shall not, however, be an affirmative defense if the agent or employee accepted the written evidence knowing it to be false or fraudulent. If a false or fraudulent Illinois driver's license or Illinois identification card is presented by a person less than 21 years of age to a licensee or the licensee's agent or employee for the purpose of ordering, purchasing, attempting to purchase, or otherwise obtaining or attempting to obtain the serving of any alcoholic beverage, the law enforcement officer or agency investigating the incident shall, upon the conviction of the person who presented the fraudulent license or identification, make a report of the matter to the Secretary of State on a form provided by the Secretary of State.
    However, no agent or employee of the licensee or employee of an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic liquor for delivery within this State shall be disciplined or discharged for selling or furnishing liquor to a person under 21 years of age if the agent or employee demanded and was shown, before furnishing liquor to a person under 21 years of age, adequate written evidence of age and identity of the person issued by a federal, state, county or municipal government, or subdivision or agency thereof, including but not limited to a motor vehicle operator's license, a registration certificate issued under the Federal Selective Service Act, or an identification card issued to a member of the Armed Forces. This paragraph, however, shall not apply if the agent or employee accepted the written evidence knowing it to be false or fraudulent.
    Any person who sells, gives, or furnishes to any person under the age of 21 years any false or fraudulent written, printed, or photostatic evidence of the age and identity of such person or who sells, gives or furnishes to any person under the age of 21 years evidence of age and identification of any other person is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and the person's sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, a fine of not less than $500.
    Any person under the age of 21 years who presents or offers to any licensee, his agent or employee, any written, printed or photostatic evidence of age and identity that is false, fraudulent, or not actually his or her own for the purpose of ordering, purchasing, attempting to purchase or otherwise procuring or attempting to procure, the serving of any alcoholic beverage, who falsely states in writing that he or she is at least 21 years of age when receiving alcoholic liquor from a representative, agent, or employee of an express company, common carrier, or contract carrier, or who has in his or her possession any false or fraudulent written, printed, or photostatic evidence of age and identity, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and the person's sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: a fine of not less than $500 and at least 25 hours of community service. If possible, any community service shall be performed for an alcohol abuse prevention program.
    Any person under the age of 21 years who has any alcoholic beverage in his or her possession on any street or highway or in any public place or in any place open to the public is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. This Section does not apply to possession by a person under the age of 21 years making a delivery of an alcoholic beverage in pursuance of the order of his or her parent or in pursuance of his or her employment.
    (a-1) It is unlawful for any parent or guardian to knowingly permit his or her residence, any other private property under his or her control, or any vehicle, conveyance, or watercraft under his or her control to be used by an invitee of the parent's child or the guardian's ward, if the invitee is under the age of 21, in a manner that constitutes a violation of this Section. A parent or guardian is deemed to have knowingly permitted his or her residence, any other private property under his or her control, or any vehicle, conveyance, or watercraft under his or her control to be used in violation of this Section if he or she knowingly authorizes or permits consumption of alcoholic liquor by underage invitees. Any person who violates this subsection (a-1) is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and the person's sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, a fine of not less than $500. Where a violation of this subsection (a-1) directly or indirectly results in great bodily harm or death to any person, the person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. Nothing in this subsection (a-1) shall be construed to prohibit the giving of alcoholic liquor to a person under the age of 21 years in the performance of a religious ceremony or service in observation of a religious holiday.
    For the purposes of this subsection (a-1) where the residence or other property has an owner and a tenant or lessee, the trier of fact may infer that the residence or other property is occupied only by the tenant or lessee.
    (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section whoever violates this Section shall, in addition to other penalties provided for in this Act, be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
    (c) Any person shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor where he or she knowingly authorizes or permits a residence which he or she occupies to be used by an invitee under 21 years of age and:
        (1) the person occupying the residence knows that any
    
such person under the age of 21 is in possession of or is consuming any alcoholic beverage; and
        (2) the possession or consumption of the alcohol by
    
the person under 21 is not otherwise permitted by this Act.
    For the purposes of this subsection (c) where the residence has an owner and a tenant or lessee, the trier of fact may infer that the residence is occupied only by the tenant or lessee. The sentence of any person who violates this subsection (c) shall include, but shall not be limited to, a fine of not less than $500. Where a violation of this subsection (c) directly or indirectly results in great bodily harm or death to any person, the person violating this subsection (c) shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. Nothing in this subsection (c) shall be construed to prohibit the giving of alcoholic liquor to a person under the age of 21 years in the performance of a religious ceremony or service in observation of a religious holiday.
    A person shall not be in violation of this subsection (c) if (A) he or she requests assistance from the police department or other law enforcement agency to either (i) remove any person who refuses to abide by the person's performance of the duties imposed by this subsection (c) or (ii) terminate the activity because the person has been unable to prevent a person under the age of 21 years from consuming alcohol despite having taken all reasonable steps to do so and (B) this assistance is requested before any other person makes a formal complaint to the police department or other law enforcement agency about the activity.
    (d) Any person who rents a hotel or motel room from the proprietor or agent thereof for the purpose of or with the knowledge that such room shall be used for the consumption of alcoholic liquor by persons under the age of 21 years shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
    (e) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, any person who has alcoholic liquor in his or her possession on public school district property on school days or at events on public school district property when children are present is guilty of a petty offense, unless the alcoholic liquor (i) is in the original container with the seal unbroken and is in the possession of a person who is not otherwise legally prohibited from possessing the alcoholic liquor or (ii) is in the possession of a person in or for the performance of a religious service or ceremony authorized by the school board.
(Source: P.A. 97-1049, eff. 1-1-13; 98-1017, eff. 1-1-15.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 38 cases (11 in the last 5 years), 1993–2024 · leading case: Wakulich v. Mraz, 785 N.E.2d 843 (Ill. 2003).
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Wakulich v. Mraz, 785 N.E.2d 843 (Ill. 2003). · cites it 6× “ss A misdemeanor for licensees and other persons to sell, give or deliver alcoholic liquor to any person under the age of 21); 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a) (West 2000) (making it a Class A misdemeanor for any person under the age of 21 to use false identification to procure alcoholic…”
Charles v. Seigfried, 651 N.E.2d 154 (Ill. 1995). · cites it 3× “January 1, 1995 (amending 235 ILCS 5/6-16 (West 1992)).) It also recently enacted a "zero-tolerance" law that provides for the automatic suspension of the driving privileges of underage persons who are found operating a motor vehicle with any alcohol in their system.”
People v. Minniefield, 2020 IL App (1st) 170541 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “¶ 42 Defendant observes that our state treats under-21-year-olds differently in other ways, such as prohibiting sales to them of alcohol (235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) (West 2018)), cigarettes (Pub.”
People v. Savage, 2020 IL App (1st) 173135 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 defines a “[m]inor” as “a person under the age of 21 years subject to this Act” (705 ILCS 405/1-3(10), 5-105(10) (West 2018)), while an “ ‘[a]dult means a person 21 years of age or older.” (705 ILCS 405/1-3(2) (West 2018)).”
People v. Law, 782 N.E.2d 247 (Ill. 2002). · cites it 3× “Law, was charged with violating section 6-16(c) of the Liquor Control Act of 1934 (the Act) (235 ILCS 5/6-16(c) (West 2000)). Defendant filed a motion to dismiss the case and have the statute declared unconstitutional.”
People v. Hill, 2020 IL 124595 (Ill. 2020). “§ 11-502 (illegal to transport alcohol within the passenger area of a vehicle, unless in the original container with the seal unbroken); 235 ILCS 5/6-16 (West 2016) (illegal for persons under 21 years old to possess alcohol).”
People v. Franklin, 2020 IL App (1st) 171628 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “¶ 63 There are many other ways in which our state treats under-21-year-olds differently, such as prohibiting sales to them of alcohol (235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) (West 2018)), cigarettes (Pub.”
People v. Lopez, 892 N.E.2d 1047 (Ill. 2008). “This raises the question as to why society is skeptical of a minor's judgment in certain contexts, and yet is readily willing to believe that a minor with no prior experience with the legal system is capable of making mature, rational and knowing decisions in the course of…”
People v. Humphrey, 2020 IL App (1st) 172837 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “2019)), prohibited the sale of alcohol products to persons under 21 (235 ILCS 5/6-16 (West 2016)); and made possession of a firearm by those under the age of 21 an aggravating factor for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.”
People v. Rivera, 2020 IL App (1st) 171430 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “Our state treats under-21-year-olds differently in other ways, such as prohibiting sales to them of alcohol (235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) (West 2018)), cigarettes (Pub.”
People v. Montanez, 2022 IL App (1st) 191930 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “2019); 235 ILCS 5/6-16 (West 2016)). ¶ 56 Humphrey is consistent on this issue with nearly every other case from our appellate court.”
People v. Glinsey, 2021 IL App (1st) 191145 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “¶ 48 There are many other ways in which our state treats under-21-year-olds differently, such as prohibiting sales to them of alcohol (235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) (West 2018)), cigarettes (Pub.”
Show all 38 citing cases →
— 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a) — 5 cases
Wakulich v. Mraz, 785 N.E.2d 843 (Ill. 2003). “ss A misdemeanor for licensees and other persons to sell, give or deliver alcoholic liquor to any person under the age of 21); 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a) (West 2000) (making it a Class A misdemeanor for any person under the age of 21 to use false identification to procure alcoholic…”
Cochrane's of Champaign, Inc. v. Illinois Liquor Control Comm'n, 673 N.E.2d 1176 (Ill. App. Ct. 1996).
Gounaris v. City of Chicago (Ill. App. Ct. 2001).
Hubly v. Ayala, 2023 IL App (2d) 220015-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
Freed v. Ryan (Ill. App. Ct. 1998).
— 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) — 15 cases
People v. Minniefield, 2020 IL App (1st) 170541 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “¶ 42 Defendant observes that our state treats under-21-year-olds differently in other ways, such as prohibiting sales to them of alcohol (235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) (West 2018)), cigarettes (Pub.”
People v. Savage, 2020 IL App (1st) 173135 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 defines a “[m]inor” as “a person under the age of 21 years subject to this Act” (705 ILCS 405/1-3(10), 5-105(10) (West 2018)), while an “ ‘[a]dult means a person 21 years of age or older.” (705 ILCS 405/1-3(2) (West 2018)).”
People v. Franklin, 2020 IL App (1st) 171628 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “¶ 63 There are many other ways in which our state treats under-21-year-olds differently, such as prohibiting sales to them of alcohol (235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i) (West 2018)), cigarettes (Pub.”
Wakulich v. Mraz, 785 N.E.2d 843 (Ill. 2003). “ss A misdemeanor for licensees and other persons to sell, give or deliver alcoholic liquor to any person under the age of 21); 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a) (West 2000) (making it a Class A misdemeanor for any person under the age of 21 to use false identification to procure alcoholic…”
People v. Lopez, 892 N.E.2d 1047 (Ill. 2008). “This raises the question as to why society is skeptical of a minor's judgment in certain contexts, and yet is readily willing to believe that a minor with no prior experience with the legal system is capable of making mature, rational and knowing decisions in the course of…”
— 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(iii) — 5 cases
People v. Schutz, 2017 IL App (4th) 140956 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017).
People v. Schutz, 2017 IL App (4th) 140956 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017).
People v. Schutz, 2017 IL App (4th) 140956 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017).
People v. Schutz, 2022 IL App (4th) 210465-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2022).
Hubly v. Ayala, 2023 IL App (2d) 220015-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
— 235 ILCS 5/6-16(c) — 3 cases
Wakulich v. Mraz, 785 N.E.2d 843 (Ill. 2003). “ss A misdemeanor for licensees and other persons to sell, give or deliver alcoholic liquor to any person under the age of 21); 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a) (West 2000) (making it a Class A misdemeanor for any person under the age of 21 to use false identification to procure alcoholic…”
People v. Law, 782 N.E.2d 247 (Ill. 2002). “Law, was charged with violating section 6-16(c) of the Liquor Control Act of 1934 (the Act) (235 ILCS 5/6-16(c) (West 2000)). Defendant filed a motion to dismiss the case and have the statute declared unconstitutional.”
Charles v. Seigfried, 651 N.E.2d 154 (Ill. 1995). “January 1, 1995 (amending 235 ILCS 5/6-16 (West 1992)).) It also recently enacted a "zero-tolerance" law that provides for the automatic suspension of the driving privileges of underage persons who are found operating a motor vehicle with any alcohol in their system.”
— 235 ILCS 5/6-16(d) — 1 case
Wakulich v. Mraz, 785 N.E.2d 843 (Ill. 2003). “ss A misdemeanor for licensees and other persons to sell, give or deliver alcoholic liquor to any person under the age of 21); 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a) (West 2000) (making it a Class A misdemeanor for any person under the age of 21 to use false identification to procure alcoholic…”
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