Pennsylvania Alcohol Related Laws and Regulations

Where to Buy Alcohol
Rather than state stores, private retailers are the facilities that sell alcoholic beverages. The hours of the facilities are usually 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, and on Sundays they are open from noon to 5 p.m.

Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
To consume alcohol, a person must be 21 years old. If the person wishes to sell, transport, or handle alcohol, they can be 18.

Open Container Laws
Previously opened bottles of alcohol must be carried in the trunk of the vehicle so the driver and passenger do not have access.

BAC Limits
The driver is considered ‘per se intoxicated’ if their chemical testing of breath, blood, or urine by a law enforcement officer is at a BAC (blood-alcohol content) of .08 percent or higher. If it is, they can be charged with DUI on that evidence alone.

A driver can face more severe penalties if their BAC level is at .16 percent or more over the legal limit, .08 percent.

To discourage underage drinking and driving, a low limit of .02 percent BAC is enforced for those under the age of 21. If an underage driver tests above that percentage, they face DUI charges.

Penalties
Drivers must to follow ‘implied consent laws,’ which require them to carry out the law enforcement’s request for breath, blood, or urine testing to determine their level of intoxication. If the driver refuses testing, they will face penalties of the suspension of their driver’s license for up to one year.

The DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) can suspend a driver’s licenses for one year for their DUI convictions, whether it’s their first, second, or third offense.

Repeat offenders face the possibility of having their vehicle confiscated by the courts, which can be a large expense to the driver.

If a driver reaches their second DUI conviction, it is a possibility that the courts will install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.

With the second offense, a driver may be required to take alcohol education or treatment/assessment for alcohol abuse.