Beer laws vary from state to state. It’s difficult to keep up with where you can buy what and when. When can you buy beer in Kansas? Where can you buy it? What’s the legal age?
Keep reading for a complete overview of Kansas beer laws, including information on when, where, and how you can buy beer, plus drinking laws and drinking while driving laws.
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Is Kansas a dry state?
Dry states are states where the sale of alcoholic beverages is completely prohibited. Is Kansas a dry state?
Kansas is not a dry state – in fact, there are currently no dry states in the U.S. You can legally buy and consume beer in Kansas.
As a state, Kansas is wet. Does it contain any dry counties though?
Does Kansas have any dry counties?
Kansas has a total of 105 counties. The counties are broken into 3 categories: 30% food sales requirement, no food sales requirement, and no alcohol by the drink.
Three of Kansas’ 105 counties – Wallace, Stanton, and Haskell – are in the category of completely dry, meaning that you cannot buy alcohol in these counties. Sixty-three of the other counties require 30% food sales with the purchase of alcohol, and the remaining 39 counties do not require an accompanying food purchase.
Check out this map for a detailed map of the wet and dry Kansas counties.
When can you buy beer in Kansas?
What days of the week and at what times can you buy beer in Kansas?
Off-premise beer sales in Kansas can be made Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. On-premise beer sales can be made from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. any day.
Beer sales on Sundays are different from weekdays for off-premise locations.
Can you buy beer on Sunday in Kansas?
Sundays have their own rules and limitations in the world of alcohol. These rules and regulations may be different based on the city and county.
You can buy beer at off-premise locations on Sundays in Kansas from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. At on-premise purchase locations, where you consume beer on-site, it can be sold from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
The regulations for on-premise sales are the same every day. It wasn’t until recently that Kansas allowed Sunday off-premise location sales before noon.
When do bars close in Kansas?
The times of operations for bars in Kansas are up to the owner of the establishment. It usually follows the laws and regulations of the state or county.
Since you can sell beer and liquor in Kansas at bars until 2:00 a.m., most bars will remain open until then.
These times are commonplace for the state of Kansas.
Where can you buy beer in Kansas?
You can buy beer in Kansas at various locations throughout the state. As long as the county isn’t completely dry, there are different options to buy beer.
In Kansas, you can buy beer at bars and restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, liquor stores, and breweries or taprooms. Gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores can only sell beer of 6% ABV and below.
Cereal malt beverage (CMB) retailers are licensed by the city or county, meaning that some of these places may not sell beer depending on if they have the license and what county they’re in.
Bars and restaurants
Bars and restaurants can sell beer in Kansas.
As long as bars and restaurants in Kansas have the license and derive 30% of gross sales from food, they can sell beer on any day between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Bars and restaurants in Kansas carry bottles and draft selections for beer.
Gas stations
Gas stations are permitted to sell beer in Kansas.
Gas stations in Kansas can only sell beer at 6% ABV and below.
The licensing to sell at gas stations is available if the location is outside of a dry county.
Grocery stores
Grocery stores are in the same boat as gas stations in Kansas: they can sell beer, but it cannot exceed 6% alcohol by volume. They can also sell beer on Sundays.
These sales are for off-premise consumption.
Package and liquor stores
Liquor stores sell liquor with a license from the state.
They are permitted to sell beer, too, with a cereal malt beverage license provided by the city or county it resides in.
As an off-premise location, beer can be sold in Kansas liquor stores Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., as well as on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
These locations can sell cans, bottles, and kegs, and any container in its original packaging.
Breweries and taprooms
Breweries and taprooms in Kansas can sell beer the same as bars and restaurants, as long as they derive that 30% gross sales from food.
They are permitted to sell cans, bottles, and drafts of alcohol of any ABV. You can purchase alcohol from these locations for off-premise use.
Can you get beer delivered in Kansas?
The only states that currently have beer delivery as a statewide option are Delaware, Massachusetts, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont, and Virginia.
You can get beer delivered in 6 cities in Kansas – Kansas City, Manhattan, Shawnee, Lawrence, Olathe, Topeka, Lenexa, Overland Park, and Wichita.
What is the minimum drinking age in Kansas?
The legal drinking age in the United States is 21, but some states make limited exceptions for 18-20-year-olds who are at home and under the supervision of a parent.
The minimum drinking age in Kansas is 21. There is an exception for minors, though.
Can minors drink beer in Kansas with parents?
Minors can drink beer in Kansas with parents if they are supervised and the beer is purchased and directly given to them by their parents.
Drinking laws in Kansas
Drinking laws in Kansas are more strict than some other states’ laws.
It wasn’t until recently that Kansas gas stations and grocery stores could sell beer that’s more than 3.2%.
When compared to states like Pennsylvania, where it mostly has its own place in beer distributors, Kansas is not as strict. Kansas was in a more unique position though, before they could sell up to 6% ABV beers. It’s still mildly strict because of this.
Some states don’t allow minors to drink at all, whereas Kansas allows it under certain circumstances Drinking laws have become more fluid throughout recent years though, making Kansas’ strictness even more relative.
Can you buy growlers and other unsealed beer containers in Kansas?
Any beer bought in Kansas must be in its original packaging. If you want a growler, you must go to the original manufacturer and have them fill and seal it.
Licensed distributors of beer are only allowed to sell products in their original packaging.
Open container
Kansas complies with the federal open container law, prohibiting them from private buildings outside of on-premise locations and in vehicles unless it’s a licensed limousine or mass-transit vehicle.
Driving
Kansas has different drinking and driving laws depending on your age.
Being that the legal drinking age in Kansas is 21 years old, there are more consequences for violating these laws as someone underage than someone of the legal age.
There is more leniency in Kansas for drinking and driving if you are 21 or older. There is less leniency for those under 21 years old.
Under 21 years old
In Kansas, the law for drinking and driving under the age of 21 is different from some states.
If you are under 21 years old, you must have a 0.02% BAC or lower when operating a motor vehicle. Kansas has a no-tolerance policy for this behavior, and defying it could result in serious consequences, including a 30-day suspension of your license and an extended period of 330 days of restricted privileges.
You are allowed to have a higher BAC when driving if you’re of the legal drinking age.
21 years and older
In Kansas, the legal drinking age is 21 years old.
At 21 years old, the BAC limit while operating a motor vehicle is 0.08%. It is 0.04% for commercial drivers. Driving with anything past these BAC levels is punishable. First-time offenders of this law will see consequences, including jail time, community service, fines, drug and alcohol classes, license suspension, and the implementation of an ignition interlock device following the suspension.
These consequences also apply to those under the age of 21 years.
Summary of Kansas’ beer and alcohol laws in 2023
Licensed, off-premise locations in Kansas can sell beer in its original packaging Monday – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. On-premise locations can sell beer any day from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Beer delivery is an option in 6 Kansas cities, including Kansas City and Wichita.Â
