Why DO THE MATH?
Most states penalize both the employee and the license holder for a violation of an underage liquor law. See the chart below for the general penalties accessed to the license holder when a compliance check is failed*. You DO THE MATH™!
| State | Offense | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | 3rd Offense | 4th Offense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Service to a minor | Up to $1000 fine or 45 day suspension. | Same as first | Same as 1st & 2nd | Revocation of license. |
| AL | Service to a minor | $750 fine and possible 3 month suspension. | $1000 fine and possible suspension up to 3 months. | Within 3 year period, $1000 fine & possible 12 month suspension. | |
| AR | Service to a minor | $200-500 fine or suspension. | $500-$1000 fine or suspension. | $1500 fine or suspension. | |
| AZ | Service to a minor | $500-1000 fine and/or suspension. | $1000-$1500 fine and/or suspension. | $2500 fine and/or suspension. | |
| CA | Service to a minor | 15 day suspension. | 25 day suspension. | Revocation of license. | |
| CO | Service to a minor | $200 - $5000 fine; possible suspension. | Automatic suspension of time deemed suitable to offense | Same as 2nd | Same as 2nd & 3rd |
| CT | Service to a minor | Up to $1000 fine and/or suspension. | Same as 1st | Same as 1st & 2nd | |
| DE | Service to a minor | $200-$1000 fine and possible suspension. | Same as 1st | Same as 1st & 2nd | |
| FL | Service to a minor | $500 fine and possible suspension. | Same as 1st | $1000 fine and possible suspension. | |
| GA | Service to a minor | $250-$500 fine & possible suspension. | $1000 fine and 7 day suspension. | $2000 fine and 14 day suspension. | |
| HI | Service to a minor | Maximum $2,000 fine. | Suspension depending on if ID was asked for. | ||
| IA | Service to a minor | $500 fine. | Within 2 yrs, $1500 fine, 30 day suspension. | Within 3 yrs, $1500 fine, 60 day suspension. | Within 3 yrs, revocation of license. |
| ID | Service to a minor | $1000 fine. | $2000 fine. | $3000 fine. | Revocation of license. |
| IL | Service to a minor | $500 fine. | $500-1000 & possible suspension. | $1000-2500 & possible suspension. | |
| IN | Service to a minor, Class C misdemeanor | Up to 60 days imprisonment; possible $500 fine. | |||
| KS | Service to a minor | $1,000 fine per count. suspension/revocation likely. | 1 day-1 weekend suspension. | 2 weekends-7 days suspension. | 2 week suspension/revocation of license. |
| KY | Service to a minor, Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year imprisonment and/or up to $500 fine. | |||
| LA | Service to a minor | $250 fine. | $500 fine & possible suspension. | $1000 fine & possible suspension. | |
| MA | Service to a minor | Varies by case | Same as 1st | Same as 1st & 2nd | |
| MD | Service to a minor | Varies by case | |||
| ME | Administrative civil law offense, serving to a minor | Maximum $1500 fine; depends on minor's age. | Fines double, possible suspension | Maximum fine and suspension of license will happen. Court decides. | |
| MI | Service to a minor | Up to $1,000 fine and/or revoction or suspension of license. | Up to $1,000 fine and/or revocation or suspension of license. | ||
| MN | Service to a minor | $2,000 fine and/or up to 60 day suspension. | Same by 1st | ||
| MO | Service to a minor | Varies by case | |||
| MS | Service to a minor | $1000 fine. | $2000 fine & 7 day suspension. | $3000 fine & 14 day suspension. | |
| MT | Service to a minor | $250 fine. | $1000 fine. | $1500 fine. | 3 in a year, 30 day suspension. |
| NC | Service to a minor | 12 day suspension; $1200 fine | 24 day suspension; $2400 fine | 30 day suspension; $3500 fine/license possibly revoked. | |
| ND | Service to a minor, 8-hour delay for 21st birthday |
$500 fine | $750 fine | $1000 fine & 1-2 day suspension | 3-5 day suspension. |
| NE | Service to a minor | 10 - 20 days suspension and a $50 fine per suspended day. | Minimum 2 days closed, a 20 day suspension. | ||
| NH | Service to a minor | $500 fine and/or 7 day suspension. | $1000 fine and/or 14 day suspension. | Possible revocation of license. | |
| NJ | Service to a minor | May appeal to board for a fine, but always 15 day suspension. | May appeal, again, but 30 suspension. | May appeal, 45 day supension. | Within 3 yrs, revocation of licence. |
| NM | Service to a minor | Up to $5,000 and/or 18 months imprisonment. | Up to $5000 fine and/or up to one year imprisonment. | Revocation of license. | |
| NV | Service to a minor | $1000 fine or 6 months in jail. | |||
| NY | Service to a minor | $750 to $1,000 fine. | |||
| OH | Determined by a board, service to a minor | Fine, determined by board-revocation if appropriate. | |||
| OK | Max penalty felony, service to a minor | If convicted, revocation of license. | |||
| OR | Class A misdemeanor | ||||
| PA | Service to a minor | $1000-$2500 fine and/or up to 1 year imprisonment. | $2500 fine and/or up to one year imprisonment. | ||
| RI | Service to a minor | $500 fine | fine not to exceed $1,000 | ||
| SC | Service to a minor | $500 fine min.-revocation max. | |||
| SD | Service to minor under 18 | Class 1 misdemeanor | |||
| SD | Service to minor 18-20 | Class 2 misdemeanor | |||
| TN | Service to a minor | $1500 fine per offense. | |||
| TX | Service to a minor | $500 fine, possible suspension. | $1000 fine, possible suspension. | $2500 fine, suspension. | |
| UT | Service to a minor | Liable up to $2,000,000 | |||
| VA | Service to a minor | $2000 fine or maximum 25 day suspension. | Discretion of Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. | Same as 2nd | Same as 2nd & 3rd |
| VT | Service to a minor/ alcohol | Up to $2500 fine. | Up to $2500 fine. | Up to $2500 fine. | Up to $2500 fine. |
| WA | Service to a minor | 5 day suspension or $500 fine. | 7 day suspension. | 30 day suspension. | Revocation of license. |
| WI | Service to a minor | Underage persons accompanied by parent/guardian/spouse of legal age | |||
| WV | Service to a minor Class A | $100-$150 fine. | |||
| WY | Service to a minor Class B | $150-$500 fine. |