Drinking Age

Virginia Drinking Age Laws

Virginia's Alcohol Beverage Control Act contains laws governing possession, use and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Pertinent laws are summarized below:

• It is illegal for anyone under age 21 to purchase, posses, or consume any alcoholic beverage.
• It is illegal for any person to sell alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 21 years.
• It is illegal for any persons to purchase or provide alcohol beverages for another when, at the time of the purchase, he/she knows or has reason to know that the person for whom the alcohol is purchased is under 21 years of age.
• It is illegal for any underage person to use a forged or otherwise deceptive driver's license to obtain beer or other alcoholic beverage.