Oregon Alcohol Related Laws and Regulations

Where to Buy Alcohol
In Oregon, alcohol can be purchased at privately-owned retail stores instead of state-owned stores. Grocery and convenience stores sell beer and wine. Although local ordinances prevail, alcohol is generally served in restaurants and bars between 8 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
At 21, alcohol can be legally consumed. At 18, a person may sell or handle alcohol.

Open Container Laws
If a bottle of alcohol has been previously opened, it must be transported in the trunk of a vehicle.

BAC Limits
If a driver’s blood-alcohol content (BAC) is found to be over .08 percent due to chemical testing (breath, blood, or urine), the driver is considered ‘per se intoxicated.’ No further evidence is needed to charge the driver with DUI.

Although some states give more severe punishments to those that have a very high blood-alcohol content, Oregon does not.

Those under the age of 21 are discouraged from driving drunk by ‘zero tolerance laws.’ Underage drivers will be convicted of DUI with any percentage of BAC.

Penalties
‘Implied consent laws’ require drivers to comply with breath, blood, or urine testing to determine their level of intoxication. If they refuse, they face mandatory suspension of their driving license for up to one year.

The DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) can suspend a driver’s license for 90 days for the first offense and one year for the second and third offenses.

If the driver is a repeat offender, there is a possibility of having their vehicle confiscated permanently or temporarily. Another possibility is the installation of an ignition interlock device in the offender’s vehicle or requiring education, treatment, or assessment for alcohol abuse.

After the fourth conviction within ten years, DUI is considered a felony.