To sell or serve alcohol in Texas, you generally have to be at least 18 years old, but how old you have to be to sell alcohol in Texas actually depends on where you work and what the store or restaurant is licensed to sell. The floor drops to 16, or disappears entirely, at some off-premise stores, and it climbs to 21 at package liquor stores. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) sets and enforces these rules.
Working at a Restaurant or Bar
At any place where customers drink on-site, you must be 18 or older to sell, prepare, or serve alcoholic beverages.1State of Texas. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.09 A 17-year-old can host, bus tables, or cook at a restaurant that serves drinks. That same 17-year-old cannot take a drink order, pour a beer, mix a cocktail, or carry an alcoholic beverage to a customer.
The Cashier Exception
Texas law allows someone under 18 to ring up a transaction that includes alcohol at an on-premise business, but only when two things are true. The actual serving of the drink has to be done by someone 18 or older, and the business has to either hold a food and beverage certificate or draw less than 50 percent of its gross receipts from alcohol.1State of Texas. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.09 A teenage cashier at a family restaurant can close out a check that includes a beer, as long as an adult server delivered it.
Working at a Store That Sells Alcohol To Go
For off-premise sales, the minimum age depends on what the store is licensed to sell.
Beer-Only (BF License)
A Retail Dealer’s Off-Premise License covers malt beverages sold for consumption elsewhere. State law sets no minimum age for employees to sell malt beverages at these locations.2Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Retail Dealer’s Off-Premise License (BF) A 16-year-old cashier at a convenience store operating under a BF license can legally sell beer. The permit does not cover wine or liquor.
Wine and Beer Retailers (BG Permit)
Businesses with a Wine and Beer Retailer’s Permit follow the standard 18-year minimum for anyone who sells, prepares, serves, or handles alcohol. The same cashier exception applies: a worker under 18 can process the transaction if someone 18 or older did the actual serving.3Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Wine and Beer Retailer’s Permit (BG)
Wine-Only Package Stores (Q Permit)
At a wine-only package store, the minimum age is 16, and a 16-year-old can work in any capacity.4Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Wine Only Package Store Permit (Q)
Package Liquor Stores (P Permit)
Package stores that sell distilled spirits require every employee to be at least 21. The rule applies to any role, including stocking shelves or working the register. The only exception is the store owner’s own children or someone under the owner’s legal guardianship.5Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Package Store Permit (P) and Local Distributor’s Permit (LP)
Minimum Age at a Glance
- Restaurants and bars: 18 to sell, prepare, or serve. Under 18 allowed in non-alcohol roles, and as cashiers under the conditions above.
- Beer-only off-premise retailers (BF): no state minimum.
- Wine and beer retailers (BG): 18, with the same cashier exception.
- Wine-only package stores (Q): 16 for any position.
- Package liquor stores (P): 21 for any position, with a narrow family exception.
Do You Need TABC Certification?
Texas does not require employees to hold a TABC seller/server certification to sell or serve alcohol.6Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. TABC Certification FAQs TABC recommends it, and in practice most employers in the industry will not hire you without one.7Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. TABC Certification The course covers ID checks, signs of intoxication, and the legal rules for sales. It usually costs under $10 through TABC-approved online providers.
Certification is treated as effectively mandatory because of how employer liability works. If a business requires all employees to complete a TABC-approved seller training program, the employee who commits a violation actually took the course, and the employer did not directly or indirectly encourage the violation, the employee’s mistake cannot be used against the business’s license.8State of Texas. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.14 Without a certified workforce, one sale to a minor can put the whole permit at risk, which is why owners insist on it.
What Happens If the Age Rules Are Broken
An employer who puts a worker in a role the law says they are too young to fill is violating the Alcoholic Beverage Code directly. TABC can impose civil penalties from $150 to $25,000 per day in place of suspending the license, and if the business does not pay within five days of notice, the suspension takes effect anyway.9State of Texas. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 11.64 – Alternatives to Suspension, Cancellation In serious cases, TABC can move to cancel the permit outright.10Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. TABC Violations The individual employee is exposed too, though enforcement lands hardest on the business holding the license.