Underage Drinking
Va. Code 4.1-305 — a Class 1 misdemeanor, $500 or 50 hours, and the license
In Virginia, a person to whom alcohol may not lawfully be sold may not consume, purchase or possess it, or try to, with narrow exceptions such as a delivery made for an employer or a parent. No one under 21 may use a fake, altered or borrowed license or other ID to establish a false age to buy or drink alcohol.
A mandatory $500 fine or 50 hours, and a license suspension. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The court orders a mandatory minimum fine of $500 or a mandatory minimum of 50 hours of community service, and a person 18 or older loses their license for not less than six months nor more than one year, with a restricted license possible on a showing of hardship.
Buying alcohol for, giving it to, or helping provide it to someone the person knows or has reason to know is under 21 is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a license suspension of not more than one year.
Sources for this section (2)
- Va. Code 4.1-305 — Purchasing or possessing alcoholic beverages unlawful in certain cases
- Va. Code 4.1-306 — Purchasing alcoholic beverages for one to whom they may not be sold
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.