Texas Alcohol Laws: When Can I Buy Liquor on Sunday?

In Texas, grabbing a bottle of your favorite liquor on a Sunday isn’t as simple as walking into your local store at any time. The state has strict rules about when and where alcohol, especially liquor, can be sold on Sundays. Whether you're planning a gathering, stocking up for a shift, or running a bar or restaurant, it’s important to know what the laws are in order to be able to follow them. Taking a food handler training course is also a smart step for those in the hospitality industry, as it often covers essential regulations like these and promotes safe, compliant service.

In this blog, we break down exactly when you can buy liquor on Sundays in Texas, who the laws apply to, and how these regulations impact service workers and alcohol business owners.

When Can I Buy Alcohol in Texas?

It may seem like an odd question, but state liquor laws vary. If you're new to working in Texas, you don't want to be blindsided by its unique liquor laws. Texas blue laws have strict guidelines as to when alcohol can be purchased, especially on Sunday.

While many of the original blue laws have been repealed, restrictions on everything from alcohol to automobile sales still exist. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, Chapter 105, specifies the hours of sale and consumption for various types of alcoholic beverages, such as liquor, mixed drinks, malt beverages, and wine. The chapter restricts liquor sales on Sundays and outright prohibits it on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

What Time Can You Buy Beer in Texas Stores?

In 2021, Texas law was updated to allow beer and wine purchases on Sundays from noon to 10 pm. This change has allowed for greater flexibility for sales in grocery and convenience stores. 

What Time Can You Buy Liquor in Texas Stores?

In Texas, liquor is available for purchase from Monday to Saturday, with hours of operation from 10 am to 9 pm. On Sundays, stores are closed, but purchases can still be made at restaurants and bars as long as the customer is dining.

Liquor stores are closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, they close the following Monday.

What Time Can You Buy Wine in Texas Stores?

The wine laws in Texas are the same as those with beer. Sales are permitted in grocery and convenience stores from 10 am to midnight on Sundays, 7 am to midnight on Mondays, and 7 am to 1 am on Saturdays.

According to TABC, a wine-only package store with a beer license is prohibited from selling wine with an alcohol content exceeding 17% on Sundays or past 10 pm on any day. If the wine-only package store doesn't have a beer license, its operating hours must align with those of a regular liquor store, meaning it remains closed on Sundays.

Moreover, wineries can legally serve alcohol from 8 am to midnight from Monday to Saturday and from 10 am to midnight on Sundays.

What Time Can You Be Served Alcohol in Texas?

Alcohol sales hours are different depending on whether you're being served for consumption

on-premise (bars or restaurants) or off-premise (convenience stores or grocery stores).

Purchasing hours can also vary depending on the type and day of the week. But here is a general overview of the time frame that was put in place, according to the TABC.

• Monday through Friday: 10 am to 9 pm for liquor in stores
• Saturday: 10 am to 9 pm for liquor, with extended hours for beer and wine at some locations
• Sunday: 10 am to midnight for beer and wine; no liquor sales in stores, but bars and restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages after noon.

Here are a few things to keep in mind about Texas alcohol laws:

• Sunday serving times at bars or restaurants depend on whether you're also ordering food. If you are, you can be served at 10 am. If not, you can't be done either until noon.
• Alcohol service can begin at 10 am on Sunday during live events at sports venues, festivals, fairs, or concerts, whether food is served.
• Certain bars or restaurants in the state can serve until 2 am any night of the week with a "late hours" permit.
• Hotel bars can serve hotel guests at any time of day.

Moreover, due to COVID-19, on-premises licensees can offer alcohol pickup and delivery for the moment under certain conditions.

What Are the Alcohol To-Go Laws in Texas?

Despite being almost five years ago now, regulations put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic have caused significant changes in the Texas alcoholic beverage industry. The permanent legalization of alcohol to-go is among the biggest changes.

In May 2021, legislation was signed permanently legalizing alcohol to-go, which increases sales of alcoholic beverages in Texas by permitting bars and restaurants to sell them for consumption off-site. Originally a way for establishments to keep afloat during the pandemic, this change has gained popularity among consumers and businesses.

This modification was introduced through House Bill 1024. Once signed by the governor, the law immediately came into effect, granting Mixed Beverage and Private Club permit holders the authority to sell alcohol, including mixed beverages, for customer pickup or delivery, provided they adhere to the law's requirements.

Establishments must follow these guidelines in order to comply with the new Texas alcohol laws for to-go orders:

• All alcohol to-go orders must include food
• Business name must be on a sealed or tamper-proof container
• Customers must be 21+ and not intoxicated

These regulations ensure responsible alcohol sales in Texas and minimize the risk of underage drinking and other alcohol-related issues. The TABC has reported minimal problems during the pandemic and expects continued compliance with these new alcohol law changes.

Who Regulates Texas Liquor Laws?

A change to Texas's alcohol laws can come directly from the Texas legislature. That’s what happened with House Bill 1518, which is the law that expanded Texas's Sunday alcohol sales hours.

There's also the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which used to be called the Texas Liquor Control Board. TABC writes specific regulations that help them enforce ABC laws.

Moreover, Texas has many different liquor licenses and permits based on the type of business, and they all have slightly different rules.

How Do Sellers and Servers Keep Texas Alcohol Laws Enforced?

Every business is responsible for securing the proper license and making sure it follows the laws that apply to its type of license.

However, many of the people who enforce the rules are employees who weren't involved in the licensing or permitting process. In the case of retail establishments that sell services to the public, these employees are often high-turnover wage workers.

This leaves a significant liability for everyone involved, and it's why Texas passed the Safe Harbor Act, which protects an employer from TABC administrative action if an employee sells or serves alcohol to someone they shouldn't (e.g., a minor or an intoxicated person) if certain standards are met.

However, to be protected, the employer must meet certain conditions. One of the most critical conditions is ensuring sellers and servers have up-to-date and approved training on TABC's rules. As a result, most employers require "TABC Certification" or proof of TABC-approved training.

Get TABC-Approved Training Online

If you work in a bar, restaurant, or any other establishment that serves alcohol, taking this training online can help you in your career. TABC Certification training takes a total of 2 hours and needs to be renewed every two years.

One of the easiest and most convenient ways to earn your certification is by completing a TABC-approved online course. With Learn2Serve by 360training, it's affordable and mobile-friendly. Because our courses are designed with users in mind, you can finish the training anytime and anywhere.

Plus, bundle it with our food handler training, and you'll be ready for restaurant service in no time. Enroll today!

What Time Can You Buy Beer in Texas Stores? What Time Do They Stop Selling Beer in Texas?

Grocery and convenience stores start selling beer at 7 am Monday through Saturday, and Sunday sales begin at 10 am. They stop selling at midnight Sunday through Friday, but you have until 1 am on Saturday.

What Time Can You Buy Liquor in Texas Stores?

Texas's liquor laws are stricter than those for beer.

Texas liquor stores are closed on Sundays and Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If Christmas or New Year's falls on a Sunday, they must remain closed on Monday.

Texas liquor stores, sometimes called "package" stores, operate from 10 am to 9 pm every other day.

What Time Can You Buy Wine in Texas Stores?

For grocery and convenience stores, Texas's alcohol sales times for wine are the same as beer: Monday through Friday, 7 am to midnight, Saturday, 7 am to 1 am; and Sundays now, from 10 am to midnight.

Aside from grocery or convenience stores, package stores sell beer and wine, not liquor. If a package store only sells wine, they have the same operating hours as a liquor store. If they sell beer and wine but nothing else, then special restrictions apply to the sales of wine with an alcohol content over 17%.

What Time Can You Be Served Alcohol in Texas?

Alcohol sales hours are different if you're being served for consumption on-premises, as you would at a bar or restaurant. For on-premises consumption, the rules are the same whether you're buying beer, wine, liquor, or mixed drinks.

Texas's on-premises service hours are similar to their beer sales hours – they start at 7 am Monday through Saturday, end at midnight Sunday through Friday, and end at 1 am on Saturday.

There are just a few extra wrinkles:

• Sunday start times at bars or restaurants depend on whether you're ordering food as well – if you are, you can be served at 10 am. If not, you can't be done either until noon.
• Alcohol service can begin at 10 am on Sunday during live events at sports venues, festivals, fairs, or concerts, whether food is served.
• Certain bars or restaurants in the state can serve until 2 am any night of the week with a "late hours" permit.
• Hotel bars can serve registered guests at any time of day.

Wineries, which are usually a mix of on- and off-premises sales, can operate from 8 am to midnight every day but Sunday, when their hours are 10 am to midnight.

Due to COVID-19, on-premises licensees can offer alcohol pickup and delivery for the moment under certain conditions.

Why Are Texas Alcohol Laws So Complicated?

Texas alcohol laws are sometimes referred to as ABC laws (short for Alcohol Beverage Control) or liquor laws, whether you're specifically talking about liquor, beer, wine, or all three.

Texas liquor laws are mostly complicated because they've been around long, are regulated at multiple levels, and deal with large, complex industries. The state passed its first "Blue Laws" (alcohol bans) in 1935, two years after the end of federal Prohibition. Some counties or municipalities have separate alcohol laws enforced on top of the state laws.

ABC laws have grown and evolved based on the needs and sensibilities of Texans themselves. Over time, that's made them a complicated mess.

Who Regulates Texas Liquor Laws?

Sometimes a change to Texas's alcohol laws comes straight from the Texas legislature. That happened with House Bill 1518, which expanded Texas's Sunday alcohol sales hours.

There's also the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which used to be called the Texas Liquor Control Board. TABC writes specific regulations that help them enforce ABC laws.

Texas has many different liquor licenses and permits based on the type of business, and they all have slightly different rules.

How Do Sellers and Servers Keep Texas Alcohol Laws Straight?

Every business is responsible for securing the proper license and making sure they follow the right rules.

However, many of the people who enforce the rules are employees who weren't involved in the licensing or permitting process. In the case of retail establishments that sell services to the public, these employees are often high-turnover wage workers.

That leaves a significant liability for everyone involved, and it's why Texas passed the Safe Harbor Act, which protects an employer from TABC administrative action if an employee sells or serves alcohol when they shouldn't.

However, to be protected, the employer has to meet certain conditions. One of the most critical conditions is ensuring sellers and servers have up-to-date and approved training on TABC's rules.

As a result, most employers require "TABC Certification," or proof of TABC-approved training.

Get TABC-Approved Training Online

TABC Certification training is 2 hours long and needs to be repeated every two years.

One of the easiest and most convenient ways to earn your certification is by completing a TABC-approved online course like ours. It's cheap and mobile-friendly, so you can take it anywhere and not break the bank.

Bundle it with our food handler training, and you'll be ready for restaurant service.

Enroll today!