Washington Alcohol Related Laws and Regulations

Where to Buy Alcohol
Package and ABC stores sell beer, wine, and spirits. Depending on the local ordinance, stores are usually open approximately 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. If the local law permits it, package stores can be open on Sundays.

Grocery stores and convenience marts sell beer and wine every day of the week. Bars and restaurants serve alcohol every day from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
At 21, a person can legally consume, sell, transport, or serve alcohol, but at 18 years old, a person may sell alcohol in a grocery or convenience store as long as they are properly supervised.

Open Container Laws
If a bottle has been previously opened, it must be transported in a vehicle’s trunk due to open container laws.

BAC Limits
If a breath, blood, or urine chemical test finds the driver’s blood-alcohol content (BAC) level is .08 percent or higher, they are considered ‘per se intoxicated.’ The state can charge them with driving under the influence (DUI) with no further evidence.

Increased penalties can be put on drivers who have a BAC level that is .15 percent over the legal limit of .08 percent.

‘Zero tolerance laws’ discourage underage drivers from drinking and driving. If an underage driver has a BAC of .02 percent or higher, they can be charged with DUI.

Penalties
A driver must comply with the law enforcement officer’s request to test their intoxication level through breath, blood, or urine screening under ‘implied consent laws.’ If they refuse, they may face penalties that can include the suspension of their license for up to one year.

A driver’s license can be suspended or revoked by the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) depending the crime. For the first DUI offense, the driver’s license is suspended for 90 days; for the second, two years; for the third, three years.

After the second offense, the convicted driver’s vehicle can potentially be confiscated.

Another penalty available to the courts is the installation of an ignition interlock device, which requires the driver to perform a breath-test before the vehicle will start.

DUI offenders may be required to go to treatment, assessment, or education classes for alcohol abuse.

After the fifth conviction, DUI is considered a felony.