U.S. history of alcohol minimum purchase age by state
The alcohol laws of the United States regarding minimum age for purchase have changed over time. In colonial America, generally speaking, there were no drinking ages, and alcohol consumption by young teenagers was common, even in taverns. In post-Revolutionary America, such laxity gradually changed due to religious sentiments and a growing recognition in the medical community about the dangers of alcohol. The more modern history is given in the table below. Unless otherwise noted, if different alcohol categories have different minimum purchase ages, the age listed below is set at the lowest age given. In addition, the purchase age is not necessarily the same as the minimum age for consumption of alcoholic beverages, although they have often been the same.
As one can see in the table below, there has been much volatility in the states' drinking ages since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Shortly after the ratification of the 21st amendment in December, most states set their purchase ages at 21 since that was the voting age at the time. Most of these limits remained constant until the early 1970s. From 1969 to 1976, some 30 states lowered their purchase ages, generally to 18. This was primarily because the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1971 with the passing into law of 26th amendment. Many states started to lower their minimum drinking age in response, most of this occurring in 1972 or 1973. Twelve states kept their purchase ages at 21 since repeal of Prohibition and never changed them.
From 1976 to 1983, several states voluntarily raised their purchase ages to 19, in part to combat drunk driving fatalities. In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which required states to raise their ages for purchase and public possession to 21 by October 1986 or lose 10% of their federal highway funds. By mid-1988, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had raised their purchase ages to 21. South Dakota and Wyoming were the final two states to comply with the age 21 mandate. The current drinking age of 21 remains a point of contention among many Americans, because of it being higher than the age of majority and higher than the drinking ages of most other countries. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act is also seen as a congressional sidestep of the tenth amendment. Although debates have not been highly publicized, a few states have proposed legislation to lower their drinking age, while Guam raised its drinking age to 21 in July 2010.
| State | Pre-Prohibition | Post-Prohibition | 1970s / 26th Amendment | 1980s / Drinking Age Act of 1984 | 21st century |
| Alabama | Pre 1881: None 1881: 21 | 21 | 1975: Lowered to 19 | 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Alaska | ? | 21 | 1970: Lowered to 19 | 1984: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause | 21 |
| Arizona | ? | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 19 | 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Arkansas | Pre 1925: None 1925: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| California | Pre 1891: Regulated by municipality/county 1891: 18 | 1933: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Colorado | - | 1945: 18: for 3.2% near-beer 21: for wine and liquor | 18 | Raised to 21 on Jul 31 1987 | 21 |
| Connecticut | 21 | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 18 | 1982: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 20 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 a person over age eighteen who is an employee or permit holder under section 30-90a and who possesses alcoholic liquor in the course of such person's employment or business, a minor who possesses alcoholic liquor on the order of a practicing physician, or a minor who possesses alcoholic liquor while accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse of the minor, who has attained the age of twenty-one. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to burden a person's exercise of religion under section 3 of article first of the Constitution of the state in violation of subsection of section 52-571b. |
| Delaware | ? | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 20 | 1984: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| District of Columbia | ? | 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1986: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause. | 21 |
| Florida | ? | 18 | 1980: 19 | 1986: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause | 21 |
| Georgia | ? | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 18 | 1980: Raised to 19 1985: Raised to 20 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Hawaii | ? | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 18 | 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Idaho | ? | 20: for beer 21: for wine and liquor | 1972: Lowered to 19 | 1987: Raised to 21 in 1987 with grandfather clause | 21 |
| Illinois | 1872: Age of majority | pre 1961: Age of majority 1961: Raised to 21 | 1973: Lowered to 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1980: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Indiana | ? | Post-1934: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Iowa | ? | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 19 in 1972 1973: Lowered to 18 in 1973 1978: Raised to 19 in 1978 | 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 with grandfather clause. | 21 |
| Kansas | ? | 1949: 18: for beer and wine with less than 4% ABV 21: for liquor | 18: for beer and wine with less than 4% ABV 21: for beer and wine with 4% ABV or more 21: for liquor | 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Kentucky | ? | 1938: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Louisiana | - | 18 | 18 | 1987: Raised to 21 de jure in 1987, but de facto age was still 18 until 1995 due to a sale loophole. 1995: De facto age raised to 21 in 1995 when loophole was closed. 1996: In 1996, briefly lowered by Louisiana Supreme Court to 18 until it reversed its decision, raising to 21 three months later. Other exceptions still remain. | 21 |
| Maine | ? | 21 1969: Lowered to 20 | 1972: Lowered to 18 1977: Raised to 20 | 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Maryland | ? | 21 | 1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1982: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause for those born June 30, 1964 or earlier | 21 |
| Massachusetts | ? | 21 | 1973: Lowered to 18 1979: Raised to 20 in 1979 | Raised to 21 in 1985 | 21 |
| Michigan | ? | 21 | 1972: Lowered to 18 in 1972 | 1978: Raised to 19 in 1978 1978: Raised to 21 in 1978, 18 days later. First state to raise age to 21 since it was lowered | 21 |
| Minnesota | ? | 21 | 1973: Lowered to 18 1976: Raised to 19 First state to raise age after lowering. | 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Mississippi | ? | 1966: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor ' | 18 | Raised to 21 in 1986 | 21 |
| Missouri | ? | 1945: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Montana | ? | 21 | 1971: Lowered to 19 1973: Lowered to 18 1979: Raised to 19 | 1987: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Nebraska | ? | 21 1969: Lowered to 20 | 1972: Lowered to 19 | 1980: Raised to 20 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Nevada | ? | 1933: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| New Hampshire | ? | 21 | 1973: Lowered to 18 1979: Raised to 20 | 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| New Jersey | Before 1880: None Post-1880: 18 | 21 | 1973: Lowered to 18 | 1980: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| New Mexico | ? | 1934: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| New York | 18 | Initially 21 immediately after Prohibition, then reduced to 18 four months later. | 18 | 1982: Raised to 19 in 1982 1985: Raised to 21 in 1985 | 21 |
| North Carolina | ? | 18 | 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1983: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 | 21 |
| North Dakota | ? | 1936: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Ohio | ? | 1933: 16 1935: 18: for 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor | 18: for 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor | 1982 : 19: for 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor 1982 : 19: beer 21: wine and liquor 1988: 21 | 21 |
| Oklahoma | ? | Men: 21 Women: 18: 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor | 1976: Lowered to 18 for both sexes in 1976 Last state to lower the drinking age. | 1983: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Oregon | ? | 1933: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Pennsylvania | ? | 1935: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Rhode Island | ? | 21 | 1970: Lowered to 18 | 1980: Raised to 19 1981: Raised to 20 1984: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| South Carolina | 21 | 1935: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1984: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| South Dakota | ? | 1934: 21 1939: Lowered to 18: for 3.2% beer Raised to 19: for 3.2% beer | 1972: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1984: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor 1988: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Tennessee | Pre 1881: None 1881: 21 | 21 1964: Lowered to 18 | 1979: Raised to 19 | 1984: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Texas | Pre 1909: 21 None Post 1909: 21 | 21 | 1973: Lowered to 18 | 1981: Raised to 19 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 | 21 |
| Utah | ? | 1935: 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Vermont | ? | 21 | 1971: Lowered to 18 | 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Virginia | ? | 21 | 1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine | 1981: Raised to 19 for off-premises consumption 1983: Raised to 19 1985: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Washington | Age of majority since 1877 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| West Virginia | ? | 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor | 1972: Lowered to 18 | 1983: Raised to 19 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Wisconsin | 1839–1866: 18: for wine and liquor None: for beer Post-1866: 21 | 18: for beer 21: for wine and spirits 1957: 21: for residents of bordering states with age limit 21. 1963: Raised to 21. | 1972: Lowered to 18 in 1972 1977: Border state restriction lifted. | 1984: Raised to 19 1986: Raised to 21 | 21 |
| Wyoming | ? | 21 | 1973: Lowered to 19 | 1988:' Raised to 21 in 1988 Last state to raise de jure'' drinking age to 21 | 21 |
| American Samoa | ? | ? | ? | 21? | 21 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | – | – | ? | 21? | 21 |
| Puerto Rico | ? | 18 | 18 | Kept at 18 despite highway funding penalty under the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. | 18 |
| Virgin Islands | ? | ? | ? | 18 | 18 |
| Guam | ? | 21? | 18 | 18 | Raised to 21 in 2010 |
Additional notes
- Contrary to popular belief, since the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, not all states specifically prohibit minors' and young adults' consumption of alcohol in private settings. That is because the federal law is concerned only with purchase and public possession, not private consumption, and contains several exceptions. As of January 1, 2007, 14 states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, 19 states do not specifically ban underage consumption outright, and 17 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. Federal law explicitly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club possession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage possession laws.
- In the 1960s the age for buying or drinking beer and wine in the District of Columbia was 18; the age for hard liquor was 21. Residents from Virginia and Maryland would often drive to D.C. to obtain alcohol. In Louisiana, the 1987 law raising the age from 18 to 21 was deliberately written solely to comply with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act to avoid losing highway funding, while still allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to drink as before. Not only did it still allow 18- to 20-year-olds to consume in private, it contained a major loophole allowing bars and stores to sell alcohol to 18- to 20-year-olds without penalty which meant that the de facto age was still 18. In other words, the drinking age was 21 only on paper. This loophole was closed in 1995, but in 1996 the Louisiana Supreme Court declared a drinking age of 21 unconstitutional. That briefly lowered the de jure purchase age to 18, causing an uproar which prompted the Louisiana Supreme Court to reverse its decision, raising the age to 21 three months later. Other exceptions still remain to this day, including drinking in a private residence, and Louisiana still has some of the most liberal general alcohol laws of any state.
- Some states were "dry" well before national Prohibition was enacted in 1919, in some cases since achieving statehood. Also, some states did not become fully "wet" until several years after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Since 1966, all states and territories of the USA have been "wet", but dry counties and towns still exist in some states.