Can you bring kids inside bars in California? Liquor stores? Here's what state law says

Kendrick Marshall, The Sacramento Bee on Jan 25, 2025

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Watching the big game at the bar? Run out of booze for your barbecue?

You might be tempted to pop into the nearest pub or liquor store with your kids in tow.

Is that actually legal in California?

“Are kids allowed in bars, or is it only in those that serve food?” one Reddit user asked Sacramento residents in 2023.

In a separate Reddit post, a commenter wondered about seeing “children and babies at bars and liquor stores” in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“I thought they weren’t allowed inside,” Reddit user Historical_Stay_808 wrote in September.

Here’s what California law says about bringing minors inside businesses that serve alcohol:

Can I take my kid inside a bar in California?

Generally, no.

Section 25665 of the California Business and Professions Code states that “minors are not allowed to enter or remain within a bar.”

In other words, it’s a crime for a person under age 21 to be “on the premises of a bar or nightclub where alcohol is sold for consumption,” the Shouse California Law Group said on its website.

However, children, teenagers and young adults can enter a restaurant that has a bar attached to it and stay there — as long as they don’t sit in the bar area, according to the California Restaurant Association.

In addition, minors are allowed to enter any business that serves alcohol as long as it serves food — even snacks or sandwiches — on site, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

These are considered “bona fide public eating places” under the law, the state agency said.

Are children allowed in liquor stores?

People under 21 are allowed in liquor stores as long as they’re accompanied by an adult who’s legally allowed to purchase and consume alcohol, the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control said.

“There are no restrictions regarding minors entering or remaining on premises licensed for off-sale of alcoholic beverages,” the state alcohol agency said.

That means grownups can bring kids into any business that sells alcohol for off-site consumption.

What about breweries and wineries?

People under 21 can visit breweries, wineries or licensed clubs regardless of whether they serve food, the state agency said, though some establishments may restrict minors on their premises.

What are the penalties for bringing minors into a bar?

If you bring an underage person into a bar that doesn’t serve food, you can be charged with a misdemeanor and charged up to $1,000 in fines or spend six months in a county jail.

The penalty for being a minor who’s in a bar illegally is a fine of at least $200.

Can I get fined for buying alcohol for someone underage?

Only people 21 years old or older can purchase or consume alcohol, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Anyone who purchases alcoholic beverages for minors is subject to a $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service, according to state law.

If you buy alcohol for someone under 21 who “consumes it and causes great bodily injury or death to himself or others,” you can face at least six to 12 months in county jail and a $3,000 fine under state law.

What happens if a business sells booze to customers under 21?

According to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, a retail employee who sells alcohol to a minor can face possible misdemeanor criminal charges.

Penalties include a fine of up to $250 and 24 to 32 hours of community service.

The business where the illegal alcohol sale occurred can face fines depending on “the circumstances and whether it is a repeat offense,” the state alcohol agency said.

The agency has the authority to suspend the business’s alcohol license for up to 36 months, or revoke it entirely.

In a statewide effort to reduce underage drinking and alcohol sales to minors, the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control deploys 200 agents to conduct compliance checks regularly throughout the year, agency spokesperson Devin Blankenship wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee.

Between July 2023 and June 2024, state agents conducted a total of 3,607 investigations into underage drinking, according to the latest figures available.

On Jan. 14, the Clovis Police Department, along with state agents, cited a local bartender for selling alcohol to minors as part of a Minor Decoy operation.

“Conducting these operations allows us to help reduce underage drinking and increase public safety,” Clovis Police Cpl. Sean O’Brien said in a news release. “Businesses should always check IDs before selling alcohol.”

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