Underage Drinking
A.R.S. 4-244 — buying, possessing or consuming liquor under the legal drinking age is a class 1 misdemeanor
Under the legal drinking age. It is unlawful for a person under the legal drinking age to buy, receive, possess or consume spirituous liquor, and for anyone to sell, furnish or give liquor to that person. Either is a class 1 misdemeanor.
It is also an offense for a person under twenty-one years of age to have any spirituous liquor in the body. It is a defense that the liquor was consumed in a bona fide religious practice or for a bona fide medicinal purpose, in a manner not dangerous to public health or safety.
On a first conviction for buying, possessing or consuming, a court may also suspend the driving privilege of a person under eighteen years of age for up to 180 days.
Sources for this section (2)
- A.R.S. 4-244 — Unlawful acts; definition
- A.R.S. 4-246 — Violation; classification; fine; civil penalty
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Arizona attorney.