No, you cannot buy liquor in grocery stores in Virginia. Distilled spirits are sold only through state-run Virginia ABC stores. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations in Virginia are limited to beer and wine.
Why Liquor Is Sold Only at ABC Stores
Virginia is a “control state” for distilled spirits, meaning the state itself acts as both wholesaler and retailer instead of licensing private stores to sell liquor. The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority runs the system, and profits from spirits sales flow back into state programs.1Virginia.gov. Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority About 17 states use some version of the control model, though not all handle retail the way Virginia does.2National Alcohol Beverage Control Association. Control State Directory and Info
The line is absolute. If it’s a distilled spirit — whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, tequila, or a premixed cocktail based on liquor — you’re buying it at a Virginia ABC store or not at all. No grocery chain or big-box retailer in Virginia has the authority to stock it.
What Grocery Stores Can Sell
Virginia grocery stores can sell beer and wine in sealed containers for off-premises consumption if they hold the right license from the ABC Board. Convenience stores and gas stations can get the same license.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 4.1-209 – Wine and Beer Licenses; Advertising The wine and craft beer selection at a well-stocked grocery store can be broad, but that’s where it stops.
Where to Buy Liquor in Virginia
Virginia ABC operates roughly 400 retail locations across the Commonwealth.4Virginia ABC. Sales and Revenue Most are standalone storefronts. The Virginia ABC website has a store locator with addresses and individual store hours, worth checking before you drive since hours vary by location.
Online Ordering
If a specific product isn’t on the shelf at your nearest store, Virginia ABC’s online catalog lists more than 2,000 items available for ship-to-store ordering. Delivery to the store typically takes 7 to 14 days, and you can pick it up in-store or through curbside pickup.5Virginia ABC. Online Ordering
Same-Day Delivery
More than 280 ABC stores offer same-day delivery to customers within a five-mile radius. Orders need to be placed at least two hours before the store closes. The five-mile limit means it works best in more populated areas.5Virginia ABC. Online Ordering
Hours You Can Buy Alcohol
Off-premises alcohol sales — the kind you make at an ABC store, grocery store, or gas station — are permitted from 6:00 AM to midnight, every day.6Virginia Code Commission. 3VAC5-50-30 – Restricted Hours; Exceptions Those hours apply statewide regardless of the type of alcohol you’re buying.
Restaurants and bars follow different rules. In localities that have approved mixed beverage sales, on-premises service runs from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM. In localities that haven’t approved mixed beverages, bars and restaurants stop at midnight, with an extra hour on New Year’s Eve.6Virginia Code Commission. 3VAC5-50-30 – Restricted Hours; Exceptions Most urban and suburban areas, including Richmond, Virginia Beach, and Northern Virginia, allow the 2:00 AM last call.
ID at the Register
You have to be 21 or older to buy any alcohol in Virginia, including beer and wine at a grocery store. The federal minimum drinking age law ties highway funding to that threshold in every state.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 23 US Code 158 – National Minimum Drinking Age
Virginia law lists what counts as valid proof of age:
- An unexpired driver’s license from any U.S. state or the District of Columbia
- An armed forces identification card
- A U.S. passport or foreign government visa
- A Virginia DMV special ID card (the non-driver identification card)
- Any other valid government-issued ID that includes a photograph, signature, height, weight, and date of birth
Student IDs don’t count, even ones with a photo and date of birth. Retailers aren’t required by law to card every buyer, but the penalties for selling to a minor give most stores strong reason to check.