Under 21 With Alcohol
Crim. Law § 10-114 — possessing or drinking under 21, and the family exception
An individual under 21 may not possess an alcoholic beverage or have one under the individual's charge or control, unless working for a license holder during regular hours, and may not consume one.
- An adult family member furnishes or allows it, and it is furnished and consumed in that adult's private home or its curtilage.
- It is part of a religious ceremony.
- The individual tastes it as a student in an enology, fermenting, brewing or hospitality course at a college.
Seen with it, first. No one may be stopped on suspicion of drinking under 21, or charged with it, unless the individual is observed in possession of an alcoholic beverage.
Sources for this section (1)
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-114 — Underage possession of alcohol
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.