Minor in Possession of Alcohol in Virginia
Penalties for Providing Alcoholic Beverages to Persons Under Age 21
If you provide or sell alcoholic beverages to a person under age 21, intoxicated or ordered by a court to refrain from consuming alcohol, you are subject to a fine up to $2,500, 12 months in jail and mandatory suspension of your driver’s license for up to one year. These same penalties apply if you assist someone under age 21 in obtaining or purchasing alcohol.
Penalties for Persons Under Age 21 Purchasing, Possessing or Consuming Alcohol
If you’re under age 21 and you purchase, possess and/or consume alcohol, you face a fine ranging from $500 to $2,500, up to 12 months in jail and mandatory suspension of your driver’s license for at least six months but not more than one year.
Penalties for Possessing Alcoholic Beverages at Public Schools
Drinking or possessing alcoholic beverages on public school grounds can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail regardless of your age.
Misrepresentation of Age
If you are under age 21 and you use or attempt to use an altered, fictitious or simulated document or student ID to establish a false age in an attempt to consume or purchase alcoholic beverages, you will:
- Be fined at least $500 or, be required to perform at least 50 hours of community service.
- Face up to 12 months in jail.
- Face mandatory suspension of your drivers’s license for at least six months but not more than one year.
Equal Penalties for Under Age 21
Persons under age 21 who drive while under the influence of drugs or with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher are subject to the same penalties as persons age 21 or older.