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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84231</law_id><section_number>4.1-304</section_number><catch_line>Persons to whom alcoholic beverages may not be sold; proof of legal age; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>4.1-119</reference><reference>4.1-212.1</reference><reference>4.1-212.2</reference><reference>4.1-222</reference><reference>4.1-305</reference><reference>46.2-347</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="4.1">Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Alcoholic Beverage Control Act</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Prohibited Practices; Penalties; Procedural Matters</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Prohibited Practices Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No person shall, except pursuant to subdivisions 1 through 5 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exemptions from licensure" href="/4.1-200/">4.1-200</a>, <span class="dictionary">sell</span> any <span class="dictionary">alcoholic beverages</span> to any individual when at the time of such <span class="dictionary">sale</span> he knows or has reason to believe that the individual to whom the <span class="dictionary">sale</span> is made is (i) less than 21 years of age, (ii) interdicted, or (iii) <span class="dictionary">intoxicated</span>. Any person convicted of a violation of this subsection is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-301958" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-304/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who <span class="dictionary">sells</span>, except pursuant to subdivisions 1 through 5 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exemptions from licensure" href="/4.1-200/">4.1-200</a>, any alcoholic beverage to an individual who is less than 21 years of age and at the time of the <span class="dictionary">sale</span> does not require the individual to present bona fide <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of legal age indicating that the individual is 21 years of age or older is guilty of a violation of this subsection. Bona fide <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of legal age is limited to any <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that is or reasonably appears to be an unexpired driver&#x2019;s license issued by any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, military identification card, United States passport or foreign government visa, unexpired special identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, or any other valid government-issued identification card bearing the individual&#x2019;s photograph, signature, height, weight, and date of birth, or which bears a photograph that reasonably appears to match the <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> of the purchaser. A student identification card shall not constitute bona fide <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of legal age for purposes of this subsection. Any person convicted of a violation of this subsection is guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. Notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="To whom privileges conferred by licenses extend; liability for violations of law" href="/4.1-202/">4.1-202</a>, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall not take administrative action against a <span class="dictionary">licensee</span> for the conduct of his employee who violates this subsection. <a id="paragraph-301959" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-304/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No person shall be convicted of both subsections A and B for the same <span class="dictionary">sale</span>. <a id="paragraph-301960" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-304/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 4-62; 1970, c. 686; 1974, c. 460; 1979, c. 537; 1981, c. 24; 1982, c. 66; 1983, c. 608; 1985, c. 559; 1990, c. 771; 1993, c. 866; 2013, c. 562.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
