Why can't alcohol be sold on Sundays?

Asked by: Bertha Reinger DDS  |  Last update: June 17, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (60 votes)

As state and local governments cannot rely on religious reasons for the ban on Sunday alcohol sales, the justification for these restrictions must come from other factors, which include public health and safety concerns, and curbing excessive alcohol consumption and its consequences.

Why are alcohol sales banned on Sunday?

Puritans prohibited certain activities on the Sabbath and while the United States has loosened up on the Puritan's no-sports policy — the NFL would otherwise be doomed — laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol have stuck around.

What states don't sell alcohol on Sunday?

The answer to what states don't sell alcohol on Sundays is:
  • Montana.
  • Utah.
  • Oklahoma.
  • Tennessee.
  • North Carolina.
  • Pennsylvania.

Can you buy liquor on Sunday in TX?

What Time Can I Buy Liquor in Texas? In Texas, liquor can be purchased Monday through Saturday. Purchasing hours begin at 10 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. Liquor stores are closed on Sundays, but liquor can still be bought at restaurants and bars on Sundays starting at 10 a.m., as long as you are also dining there.

Can you buy alcohol in MA on Sundays?

The sale of alcohol for off premises consumption (in a licensed liquor store for spirits other than beer and wine) is allowed from 8 AM to 11 PM Monday through Saturday and 10 AM to 11 PM on Sundays.

Alcohol to-go is permanent in Texas. So why is it still illegal to buy liquor on Sundays?

29 related questions found

Why are all liquor stores closed on Sunday?

As state and local governments cannot rely on religious reasons for the ban on Sunday alcohol sales, the justification for these restrictions must come from other factors, which include public health and safety concerns, and curbing excessive alcohol consumption and its consequences.

When did the Blue Laws end in Massachusetts?

In 1982, Republican Massachusetts Governor Edward J. King, after losing a re-election bid to Democrat Michael Dukakis, signed a bill relegating the "Blue Laws" prohibiting Sunday shopping to the trash heap of history. As of March 27, 1983, shopping on Sunday was permitted in Massachusetts.

Why is there an alcohol curfew?

Local, state, and national policies that limit the hours that alcoholic beverages may be available for sale might be a means of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms.

What is the blue law in Texas?

In Texas, blue laws prohibit the sale of liquor on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, with additional restrictions on beer and wine sales.

In what states can you buy alcohol 24 hours a day?

Nevada, in contrast to its neighbor Utah, is the only state where you can buy alcohol any hour of the day. Unlike other states with a designated time that bars must close (usually 1 to 4 a.m.), Nevada has no required "last call."

What is the Sunday Blue Law?

Blue law is a colloquial term for state statute or ordinance that forbids or regulates entertainment and commercial activities (ex. sale of liquor) on Sundays or religious holidays. Blue laws can also be referred to as Sunday closing laws , Sabbath laws, and uniform day of rest laws.

What state has the strictest liquor laws?

Kansas's alcohol laws are among the strictest in the United States. Kansas prohibited all alcohol from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit on-premises sales of alcohol from 1949 to 1987. Sunday sales only have been allowed since 2005. Today, 3 counties still do not permit the on-premises sale of alcohol.

Where is alcohol banned in the world?

Countries that ban alcohol

As of 2020, five fully prohibited alcohol, according to The Conversation — Afghanistan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Sudan. Others, including Iran, Pakistan and Syria, allow alcohol sales and use under severely limited conditions.

Why is it called blue law?

blue law, in U.S. history, a law forbidding certain secular activities on Sunday. The name may derive from Samuel A. Peters's General History of Connecticut (1781), which purported to list the stiff Sabbath regulations at New Haven, Connecticut; the work was printed on blue paper.

What is the Sunday law in the US?

Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, are laws that restrict or ban some or all activities on specified days (most often on Sundays in the western world), particularly to promote the observance of a day of rest. Such laws may restrict shopping or ban sale of certain items on specific days.

Why can't you buy alcohol on Christmas in Colorado?

For years, Coloradans couldn't legally buy alcohol from liquor stores on Sundays or Christmas Day, though restaurants were not included in the ban. The ban on Sunday sales was lifted in 2008, but the ban on Christmas Day remained until a bill was signed into law in May 2024 that changed many of the state's liquor laws.

What is the purple law in Texas?

In Texas Penal Code §30.05, if a property is fenced, posted with at least one sign, or marked with purple paint, it is illegal for anyone to enter. The fine or jail time for trespassing in Texas can be up to $2,000 or up to 180 days.

Is drinking in the front yard illegal in Texas?

Contrary to popular belief, there is no statewide ban prohibiting public consumption of alcohol in Texas, unless you are in a state park or in an area of a city where it has specifically been deemed illegal.

What is the bird law in Texas?

Wild Birds: All wild birds that migrate through or are indigenous to Texas, along with their plumage or other parts, eggs, nests and young are protected from harming, killing and/or possession by state and federal law except that European starlings, English sparrows, and feral pigeons may be killed at any time and ...

Why is it illegal to drive drunk?

Know that alcohol steadily decreases a person's ability to drive a motor vehicle safely. The more you drink, the greater the effect. As with BAC, the signs of impairment differ with the individual. Drivers with a BAC of .08 are approximately 4 times more likely to crash than drivers with a BAC of zero.

Why do bars close at 2 in California?

California currently forbids alcohol from being sold from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., meaning that bars and nightclubs effectively have to close at 2 a.m. State Sen.

Why can't you buy liquor on Sunday in Texas?

Prohibition-era law prevents sale of liquor on Sundays

The Sunday rule dates back to 1935 when, according to the Dallas Morning News, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Liquor Control Act in response to the repeal of Prohibition.

Why do Boston bars close at 2?

Bars and restaurants can serve from 11 in the morning to 11 at night. However, local officials can extend closing hours to as late as 2 a.m., but no later. And it's true: Happy hour is banned in Massachusetts. Part of the reason is related to a tragic death that took place in Braintree in 1983.

What holidays can you not buy alcohol?

California. No holiday-specific restrictions and Sunday sales are allowed.

Can you turn red in Massachusetts?

A motorist may make a right turn at a red light in Massachusetts unless there is a sign indicating they may not make a right on red. Before proceeding, though, they must make a full stop, and they must yield the right-of-way to other motorists and to any pedestrians in a crosswalk.