Utah Alcohol Laws
Where to Buy Alcohol There are just 37 state-owned liquor stores in Utah, and this is where you purchase alcoholic beverages. Some hotels have special licenses to allow them to sell a limited selection as well. Low-alcohol beer is available in some areas. There are no purchases of alcohol on Sundays and state stores close by 8 p.m. Spirits can be served with restaurant meals from noon to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with beer and wine service beginning at 10 a.m. Those who enjoy alcohol often join one of over 300 private clubs in Utah, which can serve even in dry counties.
Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
21 is the legal age to consume, handle, transport, or sell alcohol in Utah.
Open Container Laws
Open container laws prohibit the transport of previously opened bottles of alcohol except in the trunk of a vehicle.
BAC Limits
A driver is considered ‘per se intoxicated’ if chemical testing indicates a BAC (blood-alcohol content) level over .08 percent. Prosecutors need no more evidence than the chemical test results to convict a driver of DUI (driving under the influence).
Under ‘zero tolerance laws,’ designed to discourage underage drinking and driving, a driver 21 or younger may not have any BAC level indicated under chemical testing. If so, the driver faces DUI charges.
Penalties
‘Implied consent laws’ govern chemical testing (breath, blood, or urine) of a driver suspected of DUI (driving under the influence). Refusing to comply with an officer’s request for chemical testing carries a mandatory suspension of driving privileges for up to a year.
Penalties that involve suspension of a driver’s license by the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) are 90 days for the first DUI conviction and one year for the second and third offenses.
Despite their stricter laws regarding alcohol use, vehicle confiscation is not a court-mandated possibility in Utah. Installation of an ignition interlock device and a lcohol education, treatment, or assessment for alcohol abuse can be required.
DUI is considered a felony after the third conviction.