Giving Alcohol to a Minor
28-A M.R.S. § 2081 — a Class D crime, with a $500 minimum when the minor is under 18
Knowingly buying, furnishing, giving, selling or delivering liquor to a minor, or helping someone else do it, is a Class D crime. When the minor is under 18 the fine is at least $500, and a repeat within 6 years brings at least $1,000, then $1,500.
Who handles this in Maine: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maine directory.
Letting it happen at home. Allowing a minor under one's control, or in a place under one's control, to possess or drink liquor is also a Class D crime, with at least a $1,000 fine when the minor is under 18 and $2,000 for a repeat within 6 years.
Either becomes a Class C crime when the minor's drinking in fact causes serious bodily injury or death to anyone. Serving a visibly intoxicated person is a Class E crime with a fine of up to $500.
Sources for this section (1)
- 28-A M.R.S. § 2081 — Furnishing or allowing consumption of liquor by certain persons prohibited
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maine attorney.