In Michigan, you can buy alcohol on Sundays starting at 7 a.m. if the store, bar, or restaurant holds a special Sunday morning permit, and starting at noon if it does not. Sales stop at 2 a.m. Monday either way, and the same window covers beer, wine, spirits, and mixed drinks.1Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2113 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998
The 7 a.m. Start Depends on a Permit
Michigan’s Liquor Control Code treats noon on Sunday as the default. Any licensed retailer can sell alcohol from noon Sunday through 2 a.m. Monday with no extra authorization.1Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2113 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998 To sell any alcoholic beverage between 7 a.m. and noon, the licensee has to buy a special Sunday sales permit from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission at $160 a year.2Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2114 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998
Most large grocery chains and busy bars pay the fee because losing five hours of Sunday morning sales costs far more than $160. Smaller stores and low-traffic establishments sometimes skip it. Don’t assume every retailer is open for alcohol sales at 7 a.m. on a Sunday; check the specific store if the time matters.
Spirits at a Bar or Restaurant Before Noon
If you want a cocktail or a shot before noon on a Sunday, there’s an extra condition. A bar or restaurant can only serve spirits for on-premises consumption after 7 a.m. on Sunday if more than half of its gross receipts come from food and other non-alcohol goods and services.1Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2113 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998 A sit-down restaurant with a full menu will usually qualify. A neighborhood bar that makes most of its money from drinks may not, even if it holds the Sunday morning permit.
The food-revenue test does not apply to off-premises retailers. A liquor store or grocery store with the $160 permit can sell spirits starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday without meeting any sales-mix requirement.1Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2113 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998
Local Rules Can Shorten the Window
State law sets the ceiling, not the floor. Counties, cities, villages, and townships can vote to prohibit Sunday alcohol sales during the morning hours between 7 a.m. and noon, or across the entire Sunday window from 7 a.m. Sunday through 2 a.m. Monday.2Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2114 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998 A store in your town could hold the morning permit and still be barred from selling before noon because the local government said no.
These restrictions vary from one jurisdiction to the next. If you’re planning on a Sunday morning run and the timing is tight, a quick call to the city or township clerk is worth it.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Two statewide holiday rules can override the normal Sunday schedule. No alcohol of any type can be sold anywhere in Michigan between 11:59 p.m. on December 24 and noon on December 25. The Christmas blackout covers every licensee, on-premises and off-premises.1Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2113 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998
New Year’s Eve runs the other way. On-premises establishments can keep serving until 4 a.m. on January 1, with patrons given an extra half hour after that to finish their drinks.3State of Michigan. Holiday Retail Sales Hours Off-premises sales still cut off at 2 a.m. Local governments can also prohibit sales on any legal holiday or election day by ordinance or resolution.1Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 436.2113 – Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998