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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85034</law_id><section_number>4.1-305</section_number><catch_line>Purchasing or possessing alcoholic beverages unlawful in certain cases; venue; exceptions; penalty; forfeiture; deferred proceedings; treatment and education programs and services</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-260</reference><reference>16.1-278.9</reference><reference>16.1-69.48:1</reference><reference>17.1-275.2</reference><reference>17.1-275.7</reference><reference>18.2-251.03</reference><reference>19.2-303.4</reference><reference>19.2-392.12:1</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 to whom an alcoholic beverage may not lawfully be sold under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Persons to whom alcoholic beverages may not be sold; proof of legal age; penalty" href="/4.1-304/">4.1-304</a> shall consume, purchase or possess, or attempt to consume, purchase or possess, any alcoholic beverage, except (i) pursuant to subdivisions 1 through 7 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exemptions from licensure" href="/4.1-200/">4.1-200</a>; (ii) where <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the <span class="dictionary">alcoholic beverages</span> by a person less than 21 years of age is due to such person&#x2019;s making a delivery of <span class="dictionary">alcoholic beverages</span> in pursuance of his employment or an <span class="dictionary">order</span> of his parent; or (iii) by any state, federal, or local <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer or his agent when <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of an alcoholic beverage is necessary in the performance of his duties. Such person may be prosecuted either in the county or city in which the <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span> was possessed or consumed, or in the county or city in which the person exhibits <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of physical indicia of consumption of <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span>. It shall be an <span class="dictionary">affirmative defense</span> to a charge of a violation of this subsection if the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> shows that such consumption or <span class="dictionary">possession</span> was pursuant to subdivision 7 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exemptions from licensure" href="/4.1-200/">4.1-200</a>. <a id="paragraph-304788" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-305/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No person under the age of 21 years shall use or attempt to use any (i) altered, fictitious, facsimile, or simulated license to operate a motor vehicle; (ii) altered, fictitious, facsimile, or simulated document, including but not limited to a birth certificate or student identification card; or (iii) motor vehicle driver&#x2019;s license or other document issued under Chapter 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving without license prohibited; penalties" href="/46.2-300/">46.2-300</a> et seq.) of Title 46.2 or the comparable <span class="dictionary">law</span> of another <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, birth certificate, or student identification card of another person in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to establish a false identification or false age for himself to consume, purchase, or attempt to consume or purchase an alcoholic beverage. <a id="paragraph-304789" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-305/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person found guilty of a violation of this section is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>, and upon <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> (i) such person shall be ordered to pay a mandatory minimum fine of $500 or ordered to perform a mandatory minimum of 50 hours of <span class="dictionary">community service</span> as a condition of <span class="dictionary">probation</span> supervision and (ii) the license to operate a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth of any such person age 18 or older shall be suspended for a period of not less than six months and not more than one year; the license to operate a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth of any juvenile shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses; truancy" href="/16.1-278.9/">16.1-278.9</a>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span>, in its discretion and upon a demonstration of hardship, may authorize an adult convicted of a violation of this section the use of a restricted license to operate a motor vehicle in accordance with the provisions of subsection E of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Probation, education, and rehabilitation of person charged or convicted; person convicted under law of another state or federal law" href="/18.2-271.1/">18.2-271.1</a> or when referred to a local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services agency established pursuant to Article 9 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Purpose" href="/9.1-173/">9.1-173</a> et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1. During the period of license suspension, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may require an adult who is issued a restricted license under the provisions of this subsection to be (a) monitored by an <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span> safety action program or (b) supervised by a local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services agency established pursuant to Article 9 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Purpose" href="/9.1-173/">9.1-173</a> et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, if one has been established for the locality. The <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span> safety action program or local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services agency shall report to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> any violation of the terms of the restricted license, the required <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span> safety action program monitoring or local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services and any condition related thereto or any failure to remain <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span>-free during the suspension period. <a id="paragraph-304790" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-305/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any alcoholic beverage purchased or possessed in violation of this section shall be deemed contraband and forfeited to the Commonwealth in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Confiscation proceedings; disposition of forfeited articles" href="/4.1-338/">4.1-338</a>. <a id="paragraph-304791" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-305/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Any retail <span class="dictionary">licensee</span> who in good faith promptly notifies the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> or any state or local <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency of a violation or suspected violation of this section shall be accorded immunity from an administrative <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Persons to whom alcoholic beverages may not be sold; proof of legal age; penalty" href="/4.1-304/">4.1-304</a>. <a id="paragraph-304792" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-305/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> When any adult who has not previously been convicted of underaged consumption, purchase or <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of <span class="dictionary">alcoholic beverages</span> in Virginia or any other state or the United States is before the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, upon entry of a <span class="dictionary">plea</span> of guilty or not guilty, if the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> found by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> would justify a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> of guilt of a violation of subsection A, without entering a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of guilt and with the consent of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, defer further proceedings and place him on <span class="dictionary">probation</span> subject to appropriate conditions. Such conditions may include the imposition of the license suspension and restricted license provisions in subsection C. However, in all such deferred proceedings, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall require the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> to enter a treatment or education program or both, if available, that in the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> best suits the needs of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> is placed on local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, the program or services shall be located in any of the judicial districts served by the local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services agency or in any judicial district ordered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> when the placement is with an <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span> safety action program. The services shall be provided by (i) a program <span class="dictionary">licensed</span> by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, (ii) certified by the Commission on VASAP, or (iii) by a program or services made available through a community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services agency established pursuant to Article 9 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Purpose" href="/9.1-173/">9.1-173</a> et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, if one has been established for the locality. When an offender is ordered to a local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services rather than the <span class="dictionary">alcohol</span> safety action program, the local community-based <span class="dictionary">probation</span> services agency shall be responsible for providing for services or referring the offender to education or treatment services as a condition of <span class="dictionary">probation</span>.
			Upon violation of a condition, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed as otherwise provided. Upon fulfillment of the conditions, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall discharge the person and dismiss the proceedings against him without an adjudication of guilt. A discharge and <span class="dictionary">dismissal</span> hereunder shall be treated as a <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> for the purpose of applying this section in any subsequent proceedings.
			When any juvenile is found to have committed a violation of subsection A, the <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the case shall be handled according to the provisions of Article 9 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Cooperation of certain agencies, officials, institutions and associations" href="/16.1-278/">16.1-278</a> et seq.) of Chapter 11 of Title 16.1. <a id="paragraph-304793" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-305/#F"><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; 1995, c. 374; 1996, cc. 626, 730; 2000, c. 325; 2002, c. 338; 2003, cc. 845, 849; 2004, cc. 322, 461; 2005, c. 895; 2006, c. 207; 2007, c. 133; 2009, cc. 248, 726, 813, 840; 2012, cc. 250, 260; 2020, cc. 1227, 1246.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
