In New York, where VinePair HQ is located, we’re privileged to live with relatively lax liquor, wine, and beer laws.
Alcohol laws vary aggressively by state, though. Every state has its own set of allowances and restrictions, some of which are really weird. (In Oklahoma, shop owners cannot sell “low-point beer” — beer 3.2 percent ABV and below — to someone who is naked or showing nip. What the what, Oklahoma?)
Regardless of the outdated and oppressive nature of restricting alcohol sales at certain times, days, or holidays, you may be wondering: Can I buy booze on Memorial Day?
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Get the latest in beer, wine, and cocktail culture sent straight to your inbox.The answer is, in most cases, yes. But even in the free world, there are some restrictions, and one state that’s an unexpected, flat-out “no.”
Here’s a helpful state-by-state chart to guide you in your last-minute alcohol purchasing decisions on Memorial Day.
| State | Alcohol? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Prohibited between 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. in some counties. |
| Alaska | Yes | |
| Arizona | Yes | |
| Arkansas | Yes | Except between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. |
| California | Yes | |
| Colorado | Yes | |
| Connecticut | Yes | |
| Delaware | Yes | |
| District of Columbia | Yes | |
| Florida | Yes | Prohibited between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. |
| Georgia | Yes | |
| Hawaii | Yes | |
| Idaho | Yes | |
| Illinois | Yes | |
| Indiana | Yes | |
| Iowa | Yes | |
| Kansas | Yes | Kansas alcohol laws are quite complicated. |
| Kentucky | Yes | All alcohol sales and possession are prohibited in approximately 39 dry counties in the state. |
| Louisiana | Yes | Duh. |
| Maine | Yes | |
| Maryland | Yes | Varies by locality. |
| Massachusetts | No | WTH, Massachusetts? |
| Michigan | Yes | |
| Minnesota | Yes | |
| Mississippi | Yes | Local authorities determine hours of sale. |
| Missouri | Yes | |
| Montana | Yes | |
| Nebraska | Yes | |
| Nevada | Yes | 24 hours a day! |
| New Hampshire | Yes | |
| New Jersey | Yes | |
| New Mexico | Yes | |
| New York | Yes | New York has 8 dry towns and 37 partially dry towns, which is disconcerting. |
| North Carolina | Yes | |
| North Dakota | Yes | |
| Ohio | Yes | Some counties restrict hours of off-premises sales. |
| Oklahoma | Some | Liquor sales are illegal; low-point beer (3.2% ABV or less) for consumption off-premises permissible except between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. |
| Oregon | Yes | Some state-owned liquor stores closed on Memorial Day. |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | |
| Rhode Island | Yes | |
| South Carolina | Yes | Off-premises beer and low-alcohol wine sold 24 hours. |
| South Dakota | Yes | |
| Tennessee | Yes | Beer sales off-premises vary by municipality. |
| Texas | Yes | |
| Utah | Yes | You will be judged. |
| Vermont | Yes | |
| Virginia | Yes | |
| Washington | Yes | |
| West Virginia | Yes | |
| Wisconsin | Yes | |
| Wyoming | Yes |
