Connecticut Alcohol Related Laws and Regulations

Where to Buy Alcohol
Beer can be bought in grocery and convenience stores in Connecticut, while retail package stores sell spirits and wine. Alcohol is served at restaurants and bars from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Monday through Thursday during the week, then 9 a.m. – 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Alcohol is not available for purchase on Sundays or holidays.

Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
Although you must be 21 to drink alcohol, you can serve alcohol in a restaurant or have a job as a bartender or in a package store at age 18. At 15, a person is allowed to work in a grocery store where beer can be purchased.

Open Container Laws
Passengers in a car may drink and have open containers, but it is illegal of a driver to consume alcohol.

BAC Limits
A driver is considered ‘per se intoxicated’ for any percentage over Connecticut’s maximum blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .08 percent. This alone is enough evidence to convict a driver of DUI (driving under the influence).

Drivers under the age of 21 that have a .02 percent blood-alcohol level or higher may face DUI penalties due to ‘zero tolerance laws.’

If a driver tests with a BAC of .16 percent or higher than the legal limit or if they refuse to cooperate with chemical testing, they will receive harsher punishment. This can mean the suspension of their driver’s license for up to one year.

Penalties
Upon accepting a driver’s license, a driver must agree to ‘implied consent laws.’ This means that they are required to show a driver’s license, proof of insurance and submit to breath, blood, or urine testing upon request to prove their intoxication. A driver’s license can be suspended for up to one year if they refuse to cooperate.

The DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) can suspend a license for one year for the first offense, three years for the second offense and can revoke the license for the third offense.

Although vehicles can not be confiscated in Connecticut, an ignition interlock device can be installed at the driver’s expense when they receive a second DUI conviction. Another punishment the driver may face is attending mandatory alcohol education.

After the third conviction, DUI is considered a felony.