Utah Alcohol Related Laws and Regulations

Where to Buy Alcohol
Alcohol beverages can be purchased at one of the 37 state-owned liquor stores in Utah. Special licenses are given to some hotels to allow them to sell a certain amount of alcohol as well. In some areas, low-alcohol beer is available for purchase.

On Sundays, alcohol cannot be purchased and all state-owned stores are closed by 8 p.m. Restaurants can serve spirits with meals from 12 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Monday through Saturday, and services begin at 10 a.m. for beer and wine.

There are over 300 private clubs which serve alcohol even in the dry counties for those who enjoy alcohol often.

Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
At 21 years old, a person is able to consume, handle, sell, or transport alcohol.

Open Container Laws
Due to open container laws, previously opened bottles of alcohol must be transported in the trunk of a vehicle.

BAC Limits
If chemical testing shows that a driver has a BAC (blood-alcohol content) level of .08 percent or higher, they are considered ‘per se intoxicated.’ No more evidence is needed than the results to convict the driver of DUI (driving under the influence).

Underage drivers are discouraged from drinking and driving by ‘zero tolerance laws,’ which doesn’t allow a driver under the legal age of 21 to have any BAC level when chemically tested. If they do, they face DUI charges.

Penalties
If a driver is suspected of DUI, they are required to comply with chemical testing (breath, blood, or urine) due to ‘implied consent laws.’ If the driver refuses to comply, they face mandatory suspension of their driving privileges for up to one year.

For the first DUI conviction, the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) can suspend a driver’s license for 90 days. For the second and third offenses, the suspension is one year.

Vehicle confiscation by the courts is not a possibility in Utah.

Alcohol education, treatment, or assessment for alcohol abuse, as well as the installation of an ignition interlock device, can be required.

After the third conviction, DUI is considered a felony.