Here's What Time You Can Buy Beer In Texas, According To State Law

If you're not from Texas, you probably didn't know that you can't buy beer or wine at all times in the Lone Star State. The reason is because Texas has blue laws that were put in place during the 1960s. On the weekdays, you can purchase beer and wine starting at 7:00 a.m. until midnight. On Saturday, that time extends until 1:00 a.m. On Sundays, however, you can start buying beer and wine, including wine made in Texas, at 10:00 a.m. until midnight. Note that with liquor and other spirits, the rules are a little different. You won't be able to buy, let's say, vodka or one of these 15 exceptional Texas bourbons, on Sundays and these holidays: New Year's Day, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving. 

Due to these laws, you'll find liquor stores in Texas closed on Sundays. To purchase beer or wine on Sundays, you would have to visit a supermarket or grocery store. These Texas blue laws on alcohol sale also extend to bars and restaurants. Establishments with licenses or permits may serve alcohol, including spirits and cocktails, from noon until midnight on Sundays. If the patron orders food, then they can also order alcohol starting at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. 

There are mixed feelings and often heated debates about the Lone Star State's blue laws. Some feel these laws are restrictive and outdated, and need to be abolished, while others feel the laws provide stability and maintains days off for workers in the industry. 

Texas, however, isn't the only state with complicated and strict alcohol laws. These laws also vary from state to state. There are even eight states where happy hour discounts on alcohol are prohibited in bars and restaurants and these states include Alaska, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont. It is good to note that all states in the U.S. have some laws on when you can buy alcohol, with the exception of Nevada. In Nevada, one is welcomed to buy beer, wine, and liquor at any hour of the day, as long as the store, bar, or restaurant you're at is open. 

So while there are many timeframes in which you can't buy beer or have one at a bar or restaurant, Texas blue laws do not govern how one consumes alcohol, responsibly, in a private setting like inside a home or hotel room. And despite the blue laws, Texas is still home to one of the 15 best US cities for beer lovers in 2024: Austin.