ID VerificationQuestion 77 of 100
A patron's ID lists a date of birth that makes them 21 today (their actual 21st birthday). May the server lawfully sell alcohol to them?
a.No — the patron must be at least 21 years and 1 day old
b.Yes — California's drinking age is reached on the 21st birthday itself
c.Only after midnight of the following day
d.Only between 6 a.m. and 12 noon
Explanation
Under §25658(a) and California law generally, a person attains the age of 21 on the day of their 21st birthday. From the start of that calendar day (12:00 a.m.), they may lawfully be served alcohol. There is no extra waiting period. The 6 a.m. – 2 a.m. service-hours rule (§25631) still applies to the establishment. Serving the night before the birthday (e.g., a midnight-strike celebration at 11:30 p.m. on the 20th) is still a §25658 violation.
Law Reference: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §25660Practice all 100 questions free — no signup required.
Related questions on this topic
- A patron presents an expired California driver license that clearly shows them to be 35 years old. May the server lawfully accept it as ID under §25660?
- A foreign tourist presents a national identity card from another country (not a driver license, not a passport). May this be accepted under §25660?
- When a server is checking an ID and the patron seems unusually nervous, looks away, fumbles with their wallet, or quickly tries to retract the ID, the server should:
- A common method for the bartender to verify that a license is not laminated over an altered birth date is to:
- A patron who is clearly 50 years old asks for a beer. The server has not requested ID. If the patron turns out to be over 21, has the server violated any law?
- An ID's photo shows a patron with dark hair and the description lists brown eyes, but the patron in front of the server has bright blonde hair and blue eyes, and is roughly six inches shorter. The server should:
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