Getty A liquor store in Denver.
If you’re wanting to visit a liquor store on New Year’s Day 2022 or New Year’s Eve 2021, the laws in your state will play a big role in whether or not you can go. Some liquor stores can’t be open on New Year’s Day due to state regulations, while other states will allow liquor stores to operate if they choose. Although most liquor stores are open on New Year’s Eve, some may close early because of the holiday, requiring you to stop by early if you want alcoholic beverages for the holiday. Read on for more details.
Some Liquor Stores Are Closed for New Year’s Eve & Day, But Others Will Be Open
It’s really up to both state regulations and a local store owner’s preference whether or not a liquor store is open for New Year’s Eve or Day. The general rule is that if liquor sales are state-controlled, then those liquor stores are more likely to be closed at least on New Year’s Day. However, there are always exceptions.
States that do not control liquor sales, and thus are more likely to have open liquor stores today, include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin, according to Legal Beer. But even states that don’t control liquor sales might still have rules requiring stores to be closed. Your best bet is to call your local liquor store for details.
Which States Allow Liquor Stores to Be Open on New Year’s Eve or Day?
Below is a list of rules about liquor laws on New Year’s in each state, including whether or not we know if stores can be open or closed. Many of the details below are provided by Legal Beer, VinePair, or Wikipedia’s detailed page on alcohol laws here.
If a state in the list below says that liquor sales are not state-controlled or there are no specific holiday restrictions, then it means that liquor stores are more likely to be open. Laws can also change with little notice, which means some information below might, on rare occasions, be outdated. Individual stores may also have their own guidelines. Although you’ll still want to call, this guide can help give you an overview on what to expect today.
- Alabama – Some counties don’t allow the sale of alcohol at all. According to their website, ABC stores are all closed on New Year’s Day, but can be open on New Year’s Eve. However, some stores may close early New Year’s Eve, so you’ll want to call.
- Alaska – No specific holiday restrictions. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Arizona – Alcohol is not state-controlled so there are no specific restrictions. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Arkansas – Roughly 39 out of 75 counties in Arkansas are dry and prohibit alcohol sales. Stores can be open NYE and New Year’s Day, but some may alter their hours, so you’ll want to call.
- California– No statewide holiday restrictions. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Colorado – No statewide holiday restrictions for New Year’s (unlike Christmas.) This means stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day if they want. Call to confirm.
- Connecticut – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but liquor stores still have to be closed on New Year’s (but not New Year’s Eve.) Connecticut law reads: “The sale or dispensing of alcoholic liquor in places operating under package store permits, drug store permits, manufacturer permits for beer, manufacturer permits for beer and brew pubs, manufacturer permits for a farm brewery, manufacturer permits for farm distilleries or grocery store beer permits shall be unlawful on Thanksgiving Day, New Year’s Day or Christmas.”
- D.C. – Sales aren’t state-controlled. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Delaware – There’s no statewide ban on sales on New Year’s Day. So call to see the hours your local store is open. Sales aren’t state-controlled, but liquor can’t be sold on Sundays, Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas. However, New Year’s is in the clear.
- Florida – Sales aren’t state-controlled. Stores may be open, but call to check.
- Georgia – Sales aren’t state-controlled. Call to confirm the store hours, since local store owners might change their hours for the holidays.
- Hawaii – Sales aren’t state-controlled. This means stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day if they want. Call to confirm the store hours, since local store owners might change their hours for the holidays.
- Idaho – Spirit sales are state-controlled. MixBlendEnjoy.com noted that for New Year’s Eve, Idaho State Liquor Division stores will be open regular hours and contract stores may be open. For New Year’s Day, Idaho State stores must be closed, but contract stores may be open if they wish.
- Illinois – No statewide restrictions. Decisions are made by counties or municipalities. You may want to call before visiting.
- Indiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so yes stores are allowed to be open if they wish. Call to confirm the store hours, since local store owners might change their hours for the holidays.
- Iowa – Sales are state-controlled, but there are no holiday restrictions for New Year’s, so stores can be open. So you’ll want to call your local store to confirm New Year’s Eve or Day hours.
- Kansas – It’s not state-controlled, but sales are prohibited on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. However, there are no restrictions in place for New Year’s Eve or Day, so you’ll want to call.
- Kentucky – Sales are not state-controlled and many stores can be open either day, but this may vary from city to city and hours can vary. Corn Silk Liquors, for example, is open New Year’s Eve from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and open New Year’s Day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Louisiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but some parishes limit holiday sales. Call your local store to confirm hours.
- Maine – Sales aren’t state-controlled so stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Maryland – Sales aren’t state-controlled. But you’ll want to call to check since hours can vary for either day. In Montgomery County, you can see all the ABS store hours for today here. Stores are listed as open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and closed on New Year’s Day.
- Massachusetts – Sales aren’t state-controlled and liquor stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day, unlike the rule that liquor stores must be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call to confirm the store hours.
- Michigan – Some sales are state-controlled, so you’ll want to call before visiting. Holiday hours on New Year’s Day reads: “On-premises licensees: Do not sell alcoholic beverages between 4 am and 7 am on New Year’s Day [Rule 436.1403]. Off-premises licensees (convenience, drug, grocery stores): Do not sell alcoholic beverages between 2 am and 7 am on New Year’s Day [Rule 436.1503].”
- Minnesota – Sales aren’t state-controlled. This means stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day. Call to confirm the store hours. This is different from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving, when sales are restricted in the state.
- Mississippi — Sales aren’t state-controlled and aren’t restricted like they are on Christmas Day. You’ll want to call first, however.
- Missouri – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so local stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Montana – Some sales are state-controlled. Montana requires state agency franchise liquor stores to be closed on Labor Day, New Year’s Day (but not New Year’s Eve), MLK, President’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Call to check.
- Nebraska – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so local stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Nevada – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so local stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- New Hampshire – Liquor is sold in government-run stores. State-run stores are not restricted like they are on Christmas. So stores can be open if they wish; you’ll want to call first.
- New Jersey – No statewide restrictions, but there are dry communities, so call first.
- New Mexico – Stores have typically been allowed to be open on New Year’s, and laws have recently changed in New Mexico for other holidays too, Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- New York – No statewide restrictions. Some local areas may have restrictions, so call ahead.
- North Carolina – The state statute requires that stores be closed on Sundays and most holidays, which includes Christmas, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving. Sales are state-controlled. No ABC store can be open on New Year’s Day, although a NYE restriction isn’t in place. So you’ll want to call first.
- North Dakota: No statewide restrictions. Although sales are limited on Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s not the same for NYE or New Year’s. You’ll still want to call first.
- Ohio –No statewide restrictions on New Year’s Eve or Day, so call ahead to confirm.
- Oklahoma – No statewide New Year’s restrictions. This means stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day. Call to confirm the store hours
- Oregon – Stores have the option of being open on all state holidays including New Year’s, so call first.
- Pennsylvania – Any Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board store is closed on New Year’s Day and expected to operate their regular scheduled start time until 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
- Rhode Island – According to Rhode Island law: “Places operating under a retail Class A license are not authorized to be open for the sale of alcoholic beverages upon Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.” (Class A license includes liquor stores, the site notes.)
- South Carolina – No statewide restrictions. This means stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day. Call to confirm the store hours. This is different from Christmas, when stores are closed.
- South Dakota – No statewide restrictions. This means stores can be open on New Year’s Eve and Day. Call to confirm the store hours. South Dakota law does state that “local ordinances may be more restrictive.”
- Tennessee – Sales aren’t state-controlled. In the past, wine and alcohol sales weren’t allowed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, Waller Law reported. However, a February 12, 2021, bill authorized the sale of alcoholic beverages on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter for alcohol retailers (and the sale of wine on those same holidays for retail food stores.) So call your local store to confirm what is happening on New Year’s.
- Texas – Closed on New Year’s Day. Sales aren’t state-controlled, but liquor stores still aren’t allowed to be open on Christmas, New Year’s, or Thanksgiving. Stores can be open on New Year’s Eve, but call to confirm when they’re closing, since many close early.
- Utah – State stores closed on New Year’s Day. Sometimes stores close early in Utah on New Year’s Eve.
- Vermont – Spirit sales are controlled by the state, according to Legal Beer. But liquor stores can be open. Call about hours first.
- Virginia – Sales are state-controlled. The state-run stores (all Virginia ABC stores) close early at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
- Washington – Sales are state-controlled, but VinePair says that stores can be open. Call first.
- West Virginia – Sales are state-controlled. 12WBOY reported that alcohol can’t be sold on Christmas Day or on Easter Sunday. Call to see about the store’s New Year’s hours.
- Wisconsin – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but call first.
- Wyoming — Sales are state-controlled but some stores are open. Call first.
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