Minors And Alcohol

In California, a person under 21 years of age who possesses an alcoholic beverage on a street or highway, or in any public place or place open to the public, commits a misdemeanor punished by a fine of $250 or 24 to 32 hours of community service. A second or later violation carries a fine of up to $500 or 36 to 48 hours of community service.

• §Bus. & Prof. Code 25662

• A person under 21 who buys an alcoholic beverage, or drinks one in a bar or other on sale premises, commits a misdemeanor.
• So does anyone who sells, furnishes or gives alcohol to a person under 21, and furnishing it to a minor is punished by a fine of $1,000.
• A person under 21 who shows a licensee false identification to get alcohol, or possesses false identification, commits a misdemeanor punished by a fine of at least $250.

• §Bus. & Prof. Code 25658
• §Bus. & Prof. Code 25661

A driver under 21 may not knowingly drive a vehicle carrying alcohol, and a passenger under 21 may not knowingly possess it in a vehicle, unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, responsible adult relative or another adult the parent designates, or working for a licensee. It is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both, and a vehicle registered to the offender may be impounded for 1 to 30 days.

• §Veh. Code 23224

At an unsupervised social gathering open to the public, with 10 or more people under 21 participating and drinking, an officer lawfully on the premises may seize alcohol in plain view in their possession.

• §Bus. & Prof. Code 25662