In North Carolina, you can buy alcohol on Sundays starting at noon, or at 10:00 a.m. if the city or county has adopted the “Brunch Bill” ordinance. Sales stop at 2:00 a.m. either way. The one place you can’t buy on Sunday at all is an ABC store, which by state law is closed every Sunday for bottled liquor sales.
The Default Statewide Rule: Noon to 2:00 a.m.
Under N.C.G.S. § 18B-1004(c), it is illegal to sell or consume alcohol on any licensed premises between 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning and 12:00 noon that same day.1North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 18B-1004 – Hours for Sale and Consumption That gap covers every type of alcohol sold at bars, restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, and convenience stores. Once noon arrives, sales resume and continue until 2:00 a.m. Monday morning.
If your local government has not passed an ordinance adopting earlier hours, noon is when Sunday sales start. When in doubt, assume noon.
Where the Brunch Bill Moves the Start to 10:00 a.m.
Session Law 2017-87, known as the Brunch Bill, let cities and counties move the Sunday start time from noon to 10:00 a.m. The law added G.S. 153A-145.7 for counties and G.S. 160A-205.3 for cities, each allowing a local ordinance that permits Sunday sales of malt beverages, unfortified wine, fortified wine, and mixed beverages beginning at 10:00 a.m.2North Carolina General Assembly. Session Law 2017-87 Senate Bill 155
The law is permissive, not automatic. Each jurisdiction had to vote to opt in. The state’s major population centers did so within months of the law’s 2017 passage, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, Asheville, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, and Greenville. By the end of 2017, more than 150 jurisdictions had adopted the earlier start, and more have followed since. Some smaller communities still operate on the noon default.
What You Can Buy on Sunday, and Where
Beer and Wine at Grocery and Convenience Stores
Off-premise retailers with the right permits sell beer and both unfortified and fortified wine. On Sundays, they follow the same timetable as every other licensed establishment: noon to 2:00 a.m., or 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. in Brunch Bill jurisdictions.3NC ABC Commission. Quick Guide for Retail Permittees
Beer, Wine, and Cocktails at Restaurants and Bars
Restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries, and distilleries with on-premise permits follow the same Sunday hours. The Brunch Bill specifically includes mixed beverages in the 10:00 a.m. allowance, so a restaurant with a mixed beverage permit in an opted-in city or county can serve cocktails starting at 10:00 a.m.2North Carolina General Assembly. Session Law 2017-87 Senate Bill 155 Bars and restaurants buy their spirits during the week, so the Sunday ABC closure does not affect what you can order out.
Bottled Liquor: Not Available on Sunday
North Carolina is a control state, meaning distilled spirits for home consumption are sold only through government-run ABC stores. N.C.G.S. § 18B-802(b) prohibits any ABC store from opening, and any ABC store employee from selling alcohol, on Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 18B-802 – When Stores Operate No local ordinance can override that. If you want a bottle of bourbon or vodka for home, you have to buy it another day.
How To Check Whether Your Area Starts at 10:00 or Noon
In the larger North Carolina cities, 10:00 a.m. almost certainly applies. The question matters most in smaller towns and unincorporated areas. The quickest ways to confirm are calling the restaurant or store directly, checking your city or county government’s website for adopted ordinances, or contacting your local ABC board. The NC ABC Commission also maintains resources for permittees that reflect current rules.3NC ABC Commission. Quick Guide for Retail Permittees