New Year’s Eve celebrations are the perfect time to wash away the last 12 months and prepare for the dozen ahead of you. Whether you’re looking to have a few extra drinks on hand to toast to new beginnings or you want to get your fill before Dry January, it’s always good to have a few bottles of something delicious on hand.
But what happens if you run out before the party’s over? You can just hit the store right? Well, depending on where you live, it may be a bit more complicated than simply hopping in the car and heading to your local liquor store. It turns out that whether you can buy alcohol on New Year’s (both Eve and Day) depends on what your state deems appropriate. And even then, further rules and regulations may apply at the local level. With that in mind, we always recommend giving your favorite shop a call before heading over to save yourself some time and potential disappointment.
Check out the chart below to see if you’re able to legally buy alcohol in your state on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
| State | Alcohol? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Some | State-controlled ABC stores will be closed on New Year’s Day, but are permitted to be open on New Year’s Eve. |
| Alaska | Yes | |
| Arizona | Yes | |
| Arkansas | Yes | There are no state-wide laws forbidding liquor sales on New Year’s Day, though some local ordinances may outlaw the sale of alcohol. Sales are permitted on NYE. |
| California | Yes | |
| Colorado | Yes | |
| Connecticut | Some | Alcohol sales are permitted on New Year’s Eve, but not New Year’s Day. |
| Delaware | Yes | Except when New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day is on Sunday. |
| Florida | Yes | |
| Georgia | Some | Certain counties may prohibit the sale of alcohol on New Year’s Day. |
| Hawaii | Yes | |
| Idaho | Yes | |
| Indiana | Yes | |
| Iowa | Yes | |
| Kansas | Yes | |
| Kentucky | Yes | Kentucky has many dry counties. |
| Louisiana | Yes | Though some parishes forbid the sale of alcohol on New Year’s Day. |
| Maine | Yes | |
| Maryland | Yes | |
| Massachusetts | Yes | |
| Michigan | Yes | |
| Minnesota | Yes | |
| Mississippi | Yes | |
| Missouri | Yes | |
| Montana | Some | You may purchase alcohol on New Year’s Eve. Liquor stores will be closed on New Year’s Day. |
| Nebraska | Yes | |
| Nevada | Yes | |
| New Hampshire | Yes | State-run liquor stores will be closed on New Year’s Day. |
| New Jersey | Yes | |
| New Mexico | Yes | |
| New York | Yes | |
| North Carolina | Some | ABC stores will be closed on New Year’s Day. |
| North Dakota | Yes | |
| Ohio | Yes | |
| Oklahoma | Yes | |
| Oregon | Yes | |
| Pennsylvania | Some | Liquor sales are prohibited on New Year’s Day and after 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Beer and wine may still be sold at grocery and convenience stores. |
| Rhode Island | Yes | |
| South Carolina | Yes | |
| South Dakota | Yes | |
| Tennessee | Yes | |
| Texas | Some | Liquor stores are closed on New Year’s Day, but open on New Year’s Eve. |
| Utah | Some | Liquor stores close at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and will remain closed on New Year’s Day. |
| Vermont | Some | All liquor stores will be open on New Year’s Eve. State-controlled stores will be closed on New Year’s Day. |
| Virginia | Yes | |
| Washington | Some | State-owned liquor stores are closed on New Year’s Day. |
| West Virginia | Yes | |
| Wisconsin | Yes | |
| Wyoming | Yes |
