U.S. history of alcohol minimum purchase age by state

Minimum legal drinking age as of 1969 (two years before the 26th Amendment was passed):

  Minimum age is 21

  Minimum age is 20

  Minimum age is 19 and 21

  Minimum age is 19

  Minimum age is 18 and 21

  Minimum age is 18

Minimum legal drinking age as of 1975 (when almost all states had their lowest age limit):

  Minimum age is 21

  Minimum age is 20

  Minimum age is 19 and 21; see below

  Minimum age is 19

  Minimum age is 18 and 21; see below

  Minimum age is 18

Detail on dual age limits 

Both age limits apply for following states:
Washington, D.C.: The legal drinking age is 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor.
Illinois: The legal drinking age is 19 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor.
Kansas: The legal drinking age is 18 for 3.2 ABV beer, and 21 for beer with more than 3.2 ABV, wine and liquor.
Maryland: The legal drinking age is 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor.
North Carolina: The legal drinking age is 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor.
Oklahoma: The legal drinking age is 18 for 3.2 ABV beer, and 21 for beer with more than 3.2 ABV, wine and liquor.
South Carolina: The legal drinking age is 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor.
South Dakota: The legal drinking age is 18 for 3.2 ABV beer, and 21 for beer with more than 3.2 ABV, wine and liquor.
Virginia: The legal drinking age is 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor.

Minimum legal drinking age as of 1983 (one year before the Drinking Age Act of 1984 was passed):

  Minimum age is 21

  Minimum age is 20

  Minimum age is 19 and 21

  Minimum age is 19

  Minimum age is 18 and 21

  Minimum age is 18

The alcohol laws of the United States regarding minimum age for purchase have changed over time. The history is given in the table below. Unless otherwise noted, if different alcohol categories have different minimum purchase ages, the age listed below is set at the lowest age given for (e.g. if the purchase age is 18 for beer and 21 for wine or spirits, as was the case in several states, the age in the table will read as "18", not "21"). In addition, the purchase age is not necessarily the same as the minimum age for consumption of alcoholic beverages, although they have often been the same.

As one can see in the table below, there has been much volatility in the states' drinking ages since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Shortly after the ratification of the 21st amendment in December, most states set their purchase ages at 21 since that was the age of majority at the time, but a few set their limits lower. Most of these limits remained constant until the early 1970s. From 1969 to 1976, some 30 states lowered their purchase ages, generally to 18. This was primarily because the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1971 with the 26th amendment, and nearly all states lowered their ages of majority as well. Twelve states kept their purchase ages at 21 since repeal of Prohibition and never changed them. Most of the age lowering occurred in 1972 or 1973.

From 1976 to 1983, several states voluntarily raised their purchase ages to 19 (or, less commonly, 20 or 21), in part to combat drunk driving fatalities. In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which required states to raise their ages for purchase and public possession to 21 by October 1986 or lose 10% of their federal highway funds. By mid-1988, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had raised their purchase ages to 21 (but not Puerto Rico, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, see Additional Notes below). South Dakota and Wyoming were the final two states to comply with the age 21 mandate. The current drinking age of 21 remains a point of contention among many Americans, not least because of it being higher than the age of majority (18 in most states) and higher than the drinking ages of most other countries. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act is also seen as a congressional sidestep of the tenth amendment. Although debates have not been highly publicized, a few states have proposed legislation to lower their drinking age,^[1] while Guam has raised its drinking age to 21 in July 2010.^[2]

State	Pre-Prohibition (prior to 1919)	Post-Prohibition (after 1933)	1970s / 26th Amendment (adopted in 1971)	1980s / Drinking Age Act of 1984	21st century
Alabama	Pre 1881: None 1881: 21 (none with consent of parent)[3]	21	1970: Lowered to 19[4]	1986: Raised to 21[5]	21 (no one underage is allowed consumption Section 28-1)
Alaska	?	21[4]	1970: Lowered to 19[6]	1984: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause (if born before January 1, 1965)[7][8]	21
Arizona	?	21[8]	1972: Lowered to 19[9][10]	1985: Raised to 21[5]	21
Arkansas	Pre 1925: None[4] 1925: 21[4]	21	21[11]	21 [5]	21
California	Pre 1891: Regulated by municipality/county (common age was 16)[12][13][14] 1891: 18 (statewide)[15]	1933: 21[4]	21	21 [5]	21 (except small amounts for religious ceremonies)
Colorado	None[8]	1945: 18: for beer 21: for wine and liquor[4]	18 [16]	Raised to 21 in 1987 [5]	21
Connecticut	21[17]	21 [8]	1972: Lowered to 18[18]	1982: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 20 1985: Raised to 21[19]	21
Delaware	?	21 [8]	1972: Lowered to 20[10]	1984: Raised to 21[5]	21
District of Columbia	?	18: for beer and wine[8] 21: for liquor[20][21]	18: for beer and wine[10][21] 21: for liquor	1986: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause.[22][23]	21
Florida	?	18[4]	1972: 19 [24]	1985: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause [24]	21 [25]
Georgia	?	21 [8]	1972: Lowered to 18[9]	1980: Raised to 19[11] 1985: Raised to 20[11] 1986: Raised to 21[11]	21
Hawaii	?	21[4]	1972: Lowered to 18[10]	1986: Raised to 21[5]	21
Idaho	?	20: for beer[26][27] 21: for wine and liquor[8][28]	1972: Lowered to 19 (all)[10][29]	1987: Raised to 21 in 1987 (Apr 11) with grandfather clause[5][30]	21
Illinois	1872: Age of majority (probably 21) (none with written consent of parent)[31]	Age of majority: 21 (men), 18 (women)[32] 1961: Raised to 21 for all[33]	1973: Lowered to 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[34]	1980: Raised to 21[35]	21
Indiana	?	Post-1934: 21[4]	21[11]	21[5]	21
Iowa	?	21[4]	1972: Lowered to 19 in 1972 (Jul 1) 1973: Lowered to 18 in 1973 (Jul 1) 1978: Raised to 19 in 1978 (Jul 1)[36]	1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 (Jul 1) with grandfather clause.[11][36]	21
Kansas	?	1949: 18: for beer and wine with less than 4% ABV 21: for liquor[4]	18: for beer and wine with less than 4% ABV[11] 21: for beer and wine with 4% ABV or more[11] 21: for liquor[11][16]	1985: Raised to 21[5]	21 (However, anyone under 21 may consume cereal malt beverages with parental supervision on their own property)
Kentucky	?	1938: 21[4]	21[11]	21[5]	21
Louisiana	?	As of 1948: 18[10]	18[16]	1987: Raised to 21 de jure in 1987,[5] but de facto age was still 18 until 1995 due to a sale loophole. 1995: De facto age raised to 21 in 1995 when loophole was closed.[37] 1996: In 1996, briefly lowered by Louisiana Supreme Court to 18 until it reversed its decision, raising to 21 three months later.[38] Other exceptions still remain.[39]	21
Maine	?	21[4] 1969: Lowered to 20	1972: Lowered to 18[9] 1977: Raised to 20[5][40]	1985: Raised to 21[5]	21
Maryland	?	21[4]	1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[41][42]	1982: Raised to 21[5][43]	21(however anyone can drink when parents, spouses, teachers are present)
Massachusetts	?	21 [8]	1973: Lowered to 18 1979: Raised to 20 in 1979 (Apr 16)[44][45][46]	Raised to 21 in 1985 [5]	21
Michigan	?	21[4]	1972: Lowered to 18 in 1972 (Jan 1)[47]	1978: Raised to 19 in 1978 (Dec 3)[48][49] 1978: Raised to 21 in 1978 (Dec 21), 18 days later.[5] First state to raise age to 21 since it was lowered	21
Minnesota	?	21 [8]	1973: Lowered to 18 1976: Raised to 19[50] First state to raise age after lowering.	1986: Raised to 21[51]	21
Mississippi	?	1966: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[4] (alcohol not legalized until 1966)	18[16]	Raised to 21 in 1986 [5]	21
Missouri	?	1945: 21[4]	21	21 [5]	21
Montana	?	21 [8]	1971: Lowered to 19[52] 1973: Lowered to 18[53][54] 1979: Raised to 19	1987: Raised to 21[5][55]	21
Nebraska	?	21[56] 1969: Lowered to 20	1972: Lowered to 19[56]	1980: Raised to 20[11] 1985: Raised to 21[11]	21
Nevada	?	1933: 21[4]	21	21[5]	21
New Hampshire	?	21[8]	1973: Lowered to 18[57] 1979: Raised to 20	1985: Raised to 21[5][19]	21
New Jersey	Before 1880: None Post-1880: 18 (penalties only against businesses)[58][59][60]	21	1973: Lowered to 18 (with age of majority)[9]	1980: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 21[5]	21
New Mexico	?	1934: 21[4]	21[11]	21[5]	21
New York	21	18[61]	18	1982: Raised to 19 in 1982 (Dec) 1985: Raised to 21 in 1985 (Dec)[19][62][63]	21
North Carolina	?	18[8]	18: for beer and wine[16] 21: for liquor	1983: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 (Sep 1)[5][23]	21
North Dakota	?	1936: 21[4]	21[11]	21 [64]	21
Ohio	?	1935: 18: for 3.2 ABV beer 21: for >3.2 ABV beer, wine and liquor[65]	18: for 3.2 ABV beer 21: for >3.2 ABV beer, wine and liquor	1982 ^(Aug. 19 to Oct. 1): 19: for 3.2 ABV beer[11] 21: for >3.2 ABV beer, wine and liquor[11] 1982 ^(From Oct. 1): 19: beer 21: wine and liquor[66] 1988: 21[11]	21
Oklahoma	?	Men: 21 Women: 18: 3.2% ABV beer 21: for beer >3.2% ABV, wine and liquor[67]	1976: Lowered to 18 (3.2% beer) for both sexes in 1976 (Dec) [68] Last state to lower the drinking age.	1983: Raised to 21[8][69]	21
Oregon	?	1933: 21[4]	21	21 [5]	21
Pennsylvania	?	1935: 21[4]	21	21 [5][49]	21
Rhode Island	?	21[8]	1970: Lowered to 18[9][70]	1980: Raised to 19 1981: Raised to 20 1984: Raised to 21[19]	21
South Carolina	21[71]	1935: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[4]	18: for beer and wine[16] 21: for liquor	1984: 19: for beer and wine[4] 21: for liquor 1986: Raised to 21[5]	21
South Dakota	?	1934: 21 (all) 1939: Lowered to 18: for 3.2% beer Raised to 19: for 3.2% beer[72]	1972: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[10]	1984: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[5] 1988: Raised to 21[55]	21
Tennessee	Pre 1881: None 1881: 21[73]	21[4] 1964: Lowered to 18[4]	1979: Raised to 19	1984: Raised to 21[5]	21
Texas	Pre 1909: 21 None (with written permission of parent or guardian) Post 1909: 21[74][75]	21[4]	1973: Lowered to 18[76]	1981: Raised to 19[77] 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 (Sep 1)[5][23]	21
Utah	?	1935: 21[4]	21[11]	21 [5]	21
Vermont	?	21[4]	1971: Lowered to 18[78][79]	1986: Raised to 21[19][79]	21
Virginia	?	21[80]	1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine (21: for liquor remained)[80]	1981: Raised to 19 for off-premises consumption 1983: Raised to 19 (all beer) 1985: Raised to 21[80]	21
Washington	"Age of majority" since 1877 [81]	21	21	21 [5]	21
West Virginia	?	18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[8]	1972: Lowered to 18 (all)[82]	1983: Raised to 19 (& 21 for non-residents)[5][40] 1986: Raised to 21[5]	21
Wisconsin	1839–1866: 18: for wine and liquor None: for beer Post-1866: 21 (all)[83]	18: for beer 21: for wine and spirits 1957: 21: for residents of bordering states with age limit 21.[84] 1963: Raised to 21 (off-premise beer sales, remained 18 for on-premise).[84]	1972: Lowered to 18 (all) in 1972 (Mar)[84] 1977: Border state restriction lifted.[84]	1984: Raised to 19 1986: Raised to 21[84]	21 (however anyone can drink when parents, spouses, teachers are present)
Wyoming	?	21[4]	1973: Lowered to 19[10]	1988: Raised to 21 in 1988 (Jul 1)[85] Last state to raise de jure drinking age to 21	21
American Samoa	?	?	?	21?	21 [86]
Northern Mariana Islands	–	–	?	21?	21 [87]
Puerto Rico	?	18	18	Kept at 18 despite 10% highway funding penalty under Drinking Age Act.	18 [88]
Virgin Islands	?	?	?	18	18 [89]
Guam	?	21?	18	18	Raised to 21 in 2010 (Jul 8) [2]

Additional notes

• Contrary to popular belief, since the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, not all states specifically prohibit minors' and young adults' consumption of alcohol in private settings. That is because the federal law is concerned only with purchase and public possession, not private consumption, and contains several exceptions. As of January 1, 2007, 14 states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, 19 states do not specifically ban underage consumption outright, and 17 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. Federal law explicitly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club possession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage possession laws.^[39]
• In the 1960s the age for buying or drinking beer and wine in the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) was 18; the age for hard liquor was 21.^[20][21] Residents from Virginia and Maryland would often drive to D.C. to obtain alcohol. In Louisiana, the 1987 law raising the age from 18 to 21 was deliberately written solely to comply with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 to avoid losing highway funding, while still allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to drink as before. Not only did it still allow 18- to 20-year-olds to consume in private, it contained a major loophole allowing bars and stores to sell alcohol to 18- to 20-year-olds without penalty (despite purchase being technically illegal) which meant that the de facto age was still 18.^[37] In other words, the drinking age was 21 only on paper. This loophole was closed in 1995, but in 1996 the Louisiana Supreme Court declared a drinking age of 21 unconstitutional.^[37] That briefly lowered the de jure purchase age to 18, causing an uproar which prompted the Louisiana Supreme Court to reverse its decision, raising the age to 21 three months later.^[38] Other exceptions still remain to this day, including drinking in a private residence,^[39] and Louisiana still has some of the most liberal general alcohol laws of any state.
• Some states were "dry" well before national Prohibition was enacted in 1919, in some cases since achieving statehood. Also, some states did not become fully "wet" until several years after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 (e.g. Mississippi in 1966). Since 1966, all states and territories of the USA have been "wet", but dry counties and towns still exist in some states.
• In Canada, the historical changes to the drinking age followed a similar pattern (first no limit, then prohibition, then 21 after repeal, lower to 18 or 19, then raise some more provinces to 19), except that no province or territory raised their age limit back to 21 (or even 20). Most provinces/territories are currently 19, while three (Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec) are 18.

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