Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-5-301 (2026)

• (a)
  • (1) A permit holder engaging in the business regulated hereunder or any employee thereof shall not make or permit to be made any sales to minors or persons visibly intoxicated. Prior to making a sale of beer for off-premise consumption, the adult consumer must present to the permit holder, or any employee of the permit holder, a valid, government-issued document, such as a driver license, or other form of identification deemed acceptable to the permit holder, that includes the photograph and birth date of the adult consumer attempting to make a beer purchase. Persons exempt under state law from the requirement of having a photo identification shall present identification that is acceptable to the permit holder. The permit holder or employee shall make a determination from the information presented whether the purchaser is an adult. In addition to the prohibition of making a sale to a minor, no sale of beer for off-premises consumption shall be made to a person who does not present such a document or other form of identification to the permit holder or any employee of the permit holder; however, it is an exception to any criminal punishment or adverse administrative action, including license suspension or revocation, as provided for in a violation of this section if the sale was made to a person who is or reasonably appears to be over fifty (50) years of age and who failed to present an acceptable form of identification. Responsible vendors shall post signs on the vendor's premises informing customers of the vendor's policy against selling beer to underage persons. The signs shall be not less than eight and one-half inches by eleven inches (8½" x 11"), and contain the following language:

    STATE LAW REQUIRES IDENTIFICATION FOR THE SALE OF BEER.

  • (2) Neither the person engaging in such business nor persons employed by that person shall be a person who has been convicted of any violation of the laws against possession, sale, manufacture, and transportation of intoxicating liquor or any crime involving moral turpitude within the last ten (10) years.
  • (3) As used in this section, "other form of identification" includes a secure identity verification system that uses an electronic scan of a unique physical characteristic identifiable to the individual that is used by a permittee for the purpose of aiding the employee in determining whether or not the person is at least twenty-one (21) years of age when such person desires to purchase beer procured from a permittee if the system demonstrates that:
    • (A) The adult consumer is at least twenty-one (21) years of age; and
    • (B) The adult consumer had previously registered with a secure identity verification system provider a valid, government-issued document that includes the photograph and birth date of the adult consumer attempting to make a beer purchase.
  • (4) A violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class A misdemeanor.

• (b)
  • (1) No alcoholic beverage within the scope hereof shall be sold between twelve o'clock midnight (12:00) and six o'clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.). No such beverage shall be sold between twelve o'clock midnight (12:00) on Saturday and eleven fifty-nine o'clock p.m. (11:59 p.m.) on Sunday. No such beverage shall be consumed, or opened for consumption, on or about any premises licensed hereunder, in either bottle, glass, or other container, after twelve fifteen o'clock a.m. (12:15 a.m.). Any county by resolution of the governing body may extend the hours for the sale of beer; provided, however, that the hours for the sale of beer in "clubs" as defined in § 57-4-102, shall conform to those hours for the sale of liquor by the drink as provided in chapter 4 of this title.
  • (2) A violation of subdivision (b)(1) is a Class C misdemeanor.
  • (3) This subsection (b) shall not affect the power of governing bodies of municipal corporations or of Class B counties by ordinance to fix the hours when such beverages may be sold within the incorporated limits of such respective municipalities or within the general services districts of Class B counties outside the limits of any smaller city as defined in § 7-1-101. Municipal corporations may authorize the sale of such beverages in their respective corporate limits on Sundays or at such hours as may be prescribed by ordinance. Class B counties may authorize the sale of such beverages on Sundays in their respective general services districts outside their urban services districts and outside the limits of any smaller city or cities or in their respective urban services districts or in both or at such hours as may be prescribed by ordinance.
  • (4) The governing body of any county that has adopted liquor by the drink, as provided for in chapter 4 of this title, may fix the hours for the sale of beer within the county (that part of the county outside of incorporated municipalities). This subdivision (b)(4) shall not affect business establishments selling liquor by the drink and malt beverages as authorized by chapter 4 of this title.
  • (5)
    • (A) In any county in which an incorporated municipality has authorized the sale of liquor by the drink, as provided for in chapter 4 of this title, the hours for the sale of beer as defined in § 57-6-102, in that part of the county outside of incorporated municipalities and in all of its municipalities which have authorized the sale of liquor by the drink, shall be the same as the hours authorized by the rules and regulations promulgated by the alcoholic beverage commission for establishments selling liquor by the drink; provided, however, that the county legislative body of any such county and the governing body of each municipality within the county which has authorized the sale of liquor by the drink shall have the authority to extend the hours for the sale of beer as defined in § 57-6-102, within the territorial jurisdiction of each governing body. This subdivision (b)(5)(A) shall not apply to counties and municipalities that have legalized the sale of liquor by the drink by a county-wide referendum.
    • (B) In any jurisdiction that has elected Tennessee River resort district status pursuant to § 67-6-103(a)(3)(F) and is considered a Tennessee River resort district for purposes of chapter 4, part 1 of this title, the hours for the sale of beer within the boundaries of any such resort district shall not be less than the hours authorized for establishments selling liquor or wine for on-premises consumption.

• (c) It is unlawful for the management of any place where any beverage licensed hereunder is sold to allow any minor to loiter about such place of business, and the burden of ascertaining the age of minor customers shall be upon the owner or operator of such place of business.

• (d)
  • (1)
    • (A) It is unlawful and punishable as provided in § 57-5-303, for any minor to purchase or attempt to purchase any such beverage.
    • (B)
      • (i) In addition to any criminal penalty established in this section, a court in which a person younger than twenty-one (21) years of age but eighteen (18) years of age or older is convicted of the purchase or attempt to purchase or possession of beer in violation of this section shall prepare and send to the department of safety, driver control division, within five (5) working days of the conviction an order of denial of driving privileges for the offender.
      • (ii) The court and the department of safety shall follow the same procedures and utilize the same sanctions and costs for an offender younger than twenty-one (21) years of age but eighteen (18) years of age or older as provided in title 55, chapter 10, part 7, for offenders younger than eighteen (18) years of age but thirteen (13) years of age or older.
  • (2) Any person who purchases any such beverage for or on behalf of a person under twenty-one (21) years of age commits a Class A misdemeanor and, in addition to the punishment authorized by § 40-35-111, shall be punished pursuant to § 39-15-404.
  • (3) Any person under twenty-one (21) years of age who knowingly makes a false statement or exhibits false identification to the effect that the person is twenty-one (21) years of age or older to any person engaged in the sale of alcoholic beverages licensed hereunder for the purpose of purchasing or obtaining the same is guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition to any criminal penalty established by this subdivision (d)(3), a court in which a person younger than twenty-one (21) years of age but eighteen (18) years of age or older is convicted under this subdivision (d)(3) of a second or subsequent offense shall prepare and send to the department of safety, driver control division, within five (5) working days of the conviction, an order of denial of driving privileges for the offender for a period not to exceed one (1) year. The offender may apply to the court for a restricted driver license. The judge shall order the issuance of a restricted motor vehicle operator's license, in accordance with § 55-50-502. The court and the department shall follow the same procedures and utilize the same costs for a person younger than twenty-one (21) years of age but eighteen (18) years of age or older as provided in title 55, chapter 10, part 7, for offenders younger than eighteen (18) years of age but thirteen (13) years of age or older.
    • (A) If the person violating this subdivision (d)(3) is less than eighteen (18) years of age, the person shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty ($50.00) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not less than twenty (20) hours of community service work, which fine or penalty shall not be suspended or waived. The fine imposed by this subdivision (d)(3)(A) shall apply regardless of whether the violator cooperates with law enforcement officers by telling them the place the alcohol was purchased or obtained or from whom it was purchased or obtained.
    • (B) If the person violating this subdivision (d)(3) is eighteen (18) years of age or older but less than twenty-one (21) years of age, the person shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment in the local jail or workhouse for not less than five (5) days nor more than thirty (30) days. The penalties imposed by this subdivision (d)(3)(B) shall apply regardless of whether the violator cooperates with law enforcement officers by telling them the place the alcohol was purchased or obtained or from whom it was purchased or obtained.

• (e)
  • (1) It is unlawful for any person under twenty-one (21) years of age to have in the person's possession beer for any purpose, and it is unlawful for any such minor to transport beer for any purpose except the same be in the course of employment.
  • (2) A violation of subdivision (e)(1) is a Class A misdemeanor.
  • (3) Any person under twenty-one (21) years of age found to have violated subdivision (e)(1) shall, regardless of the final disposition of such violation, have the right to have the records, as defined in § 40-32-101, of such violation destroyed after the passage of six (6) months from the date of the violation. Such destruction shall occur upon motion of the person to the court which heard the violation and shall be without cost to such person.

• (f) Vendors shall post signs on the vendor's premises informing customers of the vendor's policy against selling beer to underage persons. The signs shall be not less than eight and one-half inches by five and one-half inches (8½" x 5½"), and shall contain the following language: IF YOU AREN'T 21 AND ARE IN POSSESSION OF BEER, YOU COULD LOSE YOUR DRIVER LICENSE.

Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 850,s 2, eff. 1/1/2025.

Acts 1933, ch. 69, § 9a; 1935, ch. 170, § 3; 1943, ch. 53, §§ 2, 5; C. Supp. 1950, § 1191.10; Acts 1961, ch. 170, § 1; 1963, ch. 222, § 1; 1965, ch. 321, § 5; 1970, ch. 353, § 1; 1972, ch. 555, § 1; 1978, ch. 537, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 36; impl. am. Acts 1979, ch. 413, §§ 3, 4; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 57-221; Acts 1982, ch. 877, § 4; 1984, ch. 1006, §§ 4, 10, 18; 1985, ch. 321, §§ 2, 3; 1985, ch. 375, § 5; 1986, ch. 758, § 1; 1986, ch. 788, § 3; 1989, ch. 591, §§ 111, 113; 1991, ch. 473, § 4; 1996, ch. 641, § 5; 1997 , ch. 423, §§ 1-3; 1998, ch. 780, § 1; 2006, ch. 864, § 12; 2006, ch. 900, § 2; 2006, ch. 986, §§ 3, 4, 6; 2008 , ch. 877, §§ 1, 3; 2009 , ch. 208, § 2; 2011 , ch. 27, §§ 2, 3.