U.S. history of alcohol minimum purchase age by state

Table columns:
State
Pre-Prohibition (prior to 1919)
Post-Prohibition (after 1933)
1970s / 26th Amendment (adopted in 1971)
1980s / Drinking Age Act of 1984
21st century

Table rows:
cells: Alabama
Pre 1881: None 1881: 21 (none with consent of parent)[6]
21
1975: Lowered to 19[7]
1986: Raised to 21[8]
21 (no one underage is allowed consumption Section 28-1)
cells: Alaska
?
21[7]
1970: Lowered to 19[9]
1984: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause (if born before January 1, 1965)[10][11]
21
cells: Arizona
?
21[11]
1972: Lowered to 19[12][13]
1985: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: Arkansas
Pre 1925: None[7] 1925: 21[7]
21
21[14]
21[8]
21
cells: California
Pre 1891: Regulated by municipality/county (common age was 16)[15][16][17] 1891: 18 (statewide)[18]
1933: 21[7]
21
21[8]
21 (except small amounts for religious ceremonies)
cells: Colorado
None[11]
1945: 18: for beer 21: for wine and liquor[7]
18[19]
Raised to 21 in 1987[8]
21
cells: Connecticut
?
21[11]
1972: Lowered to 18[20]
1982: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 20 1985: Raised to 21[21]
21 (exemptions: (1) a person over age eighteen who is an employee or permit holder under section 30-90a and who possesses alcoholic liquor in the course of such person’s employment or business, (2) a minor who possesses alcoholic liquor on the order of a practicing physician, or (3) a minor who possesses alcoholic liquor while accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse of the minor, who has attained the age of twenty-one. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to burden a person’s exercise of religion under section 3 of article first of the Constitution of the state in violation of subsection (a) of section 52-571b.[22]
cells: Delaware
?
21[11]
1972: Lowered to 20[13]
1984: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: District of Columbia
?
18: for beer and wine[11] 21: for liquor[23][24]
18: for beer and wine[13][24] 21: for liquor
1986: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause.[25][26]
21
cells: Florida
?
18[7]
1980: 19[27]
1985: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause[27]
21[28]
cells: Georgia
?
21[11]
1972: Lowered to 18[12]
1984: Raised to 19[14] 1985: Raised to 20[14] 1986: Raised to 21[14]
21
cells: Hawaii
?
21[7]
1972: Lowered to 18[13]
1986: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: Idaho
?
20: for beer[29][30] 21: for wine and liquor[11][31]
1972: Lowered to 19 (all)[13][32]
1987: Raised to 21 in 1987 (Apr 11) with grandfather clause[8][33]
21
cells: Illinois
1872: Age of majority (none with written consent of parent)[34]
pre 1961: Age of majority 1961: Raised to 21[35]
1973: Lowered to 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[36]
1980: Raised to 21[37]
21
cells: Indiana
?
Post-1934: 21[7]
21[14]
21[8]
21
cells: Iowa
?
21[7]
1972: Lowered to 19 in 1972 (Jul 1) 1973: Lowered to 18 in 1973 (Jul 1) 1978: Raised to 19 in 1978 (Jul 1)[38]
1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 (Jul 1) with grandfather clause.[14][38]
21
cells: Kansas
?
1949: 18: for beer and wine with less than 4% ABV 21: for liquor[7]
18: for beer and wine with less than 4% ABV[14] 21: for beer and wine with 4% ABV or more[14] 21: for liquor[14][19]
1985: Raised to 21[8]
21 (However, anyone under 21 may consume cereal malt beverages with parental supervision on their own property)
cells: Kentucky
?
1938: 21[7]
21[14]
21[8]
21
cells: Louisiana
?
As of 1948: 18[13]
18[19]
1987: Raised to 21 de jure in 1987,[8] but de facto age was still 18 until 1995 due to a sale loophole. 1995: De facto age raised to 21 in 1995 when loophole was closed.[39] 1996: In 1996, briefly lowered by Louisiana Supreme Court to 18 until it reversed its decision, raising to 21 three months later.[40] Other exceptions still remain.[41]
21 (Exceptions to state law include:[42] For an established religious purpose; When a person under twenty-one years of age is accompanied by a parent, spouse, or legal guardian twenty-one years of age or older; For medical purposes when purchased as an over the counter medication, or when prescribed or administered by a licensed physician, pharmacist, dentist, nurse, hospital, or medical institution; In a private residence, which shall include a residential dwelling and up to twenty contiguous acres, on which the dwelling is located, owned by the same person who owns the dwelling; The sale, handling, transport, or service in dispensing of any alcoholic beverage pursuant to lawful ownership of an establishment or to lawful employment of a person under twenty-one years of age by a duly licensed manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer of beverage alcohol.)
cells: Maine
?
21[7] 1969: Lowered to 20
1972: Lowered to 18[12] 1977: Raised to 20[8][43]
1985: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: Maryland
?
21[7]
1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[44][45]
1982: Raised to 21 with grandfather clause[8][46]
21 (however anyone can drink when parents, spouses, teachers are present)
cells: Massachusetts
?
21[11]
1973: Lowered to 18 1979: Raised to 20 in 1979 (Apr 16)[47][48][49]
Raised to 21 in 1985[8]
21
cells: Michigan
?
21[7]
1972: Lowered to 18 in 1972 (Jan 1)[50]
1978: Raised to 19 in 1978 (Dec 3)[51][52] 1978: Raised to 21 in 1978 (Dec 21), 18 days later.[8] First state to raise age to 21 since it was lowered
21
cells: Minnesota
?
21[11]
1973: Lowered to 18 (June 1) 1976: Raised to 19 (Sept 1)[53] First state to raise age after lowering.
1986: Raised to 21[54]
21
cells: Mississippi
?
1966: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[7] (alcohol not legalized until 1966)
18[19]
Raised to 21 in 1986[8]
21
cells: Missouri
?
1945: 21[7]
21
21[8]
21
cells: Montana
?
21[11]
1971: Lowered to 19[55] 1973: Lowered to 18[56][57] 1979: Raised to 19
1987: Raised to 21[8][58]
21
cells: Nebraska
?
21[59] 1969: Lowered to 20
1972: Lowered to 19[59]
1980: Raised to 20[14] 1985: Raised to 21[14]
21
cells: Nevada
?
1933: 21[7]
21
21[8]
21
cells: New Hampshire
?
21[11]
1973: Lowered to 18[60] 1979: Raised to 20
1985: Raised to 21[8][21]
21
cells: New Jersey
Before 1880: None Post-1880: 18 (penalties only against businesses)[61][62][63]
21[citation needed]
1973: Lowered to 18[12]
1980: Raised to 19 1983: Raised to 21[8][64]
21
cells: New Mexico
?
1934: 21[7]
21[14]
21[8]
21
cells: New York
21
18[65]
18
1982: Raised to 19 in 1982 (Dec) 1985: Raised to 21 in 1985 (Dec)[21][66][67]
21
cells: North Carolina
?
18[11]
18: for beer and wine[19] 21: for liquor
1983: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 (Sep 1)[8][26]
21
cells: North Dakota
?
1936: 21[7]
21[14]
21[68]
21
cells: Ohio
?
1935: 18: for 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor[69]
18: for 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor
1982 (Aug. 19 to Oct. 1): 19: for 3.2% ABW beer[14] 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor[14] 1982 (From Oct. 1): 19: beer 21: wine and liquor[70] 1988: 21[14]
21 (However, anyone can drink with parents or legal-age spouse)
cells: Oklahoma
?
Men: 21 Women: 18: 3.2% ABW beer 21: for beer stronger than 3.2% ABW, wine and liquor[71]
1976: Lowered to 18 (for 3.2% ABW beer) for both sexes in 1976 (Dec)[72] Last state to lower the drinking age.
1983: Raised to 21[11][73]
21
cells: Oregon
?
1933: 21[7]
21
21[8]
21
cells: Pennsylvania
?
1935: 21[7]
21
21[8][52]
21
cells: Rhode Island
?
21[11]
1970: Lowered to 18[12][74]
1980: Raised to 19 1981: Raised to 20 1984: Raised to 21[21]
21
cells: South Carolina
21[75]
1935: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[7]
18: for beer and wine[19] 21: for liquor
1984: 19: for beer and wine[7] 21: for liquor 1986: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: South Dakota
?
1934: 21 (all) 1939: Lowered to 18: for 3.2% beer Raised to 19: for 3.2% beer[76]
1972: 18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[13]
1984: 19: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[8] 1988: Raised to 21[58]
21
cells: Tennessee
Pre 1881: None 1881: 21[77]
21[7] 1964: Lowered to 18[7]
1979: Raised to 19
1984: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: Texas
Pre 1909: 21 None (with written permission of parent or guardian) Post 1909: 21[78][79]
21[7]
1973: Lowered to 18[80]
1981: Raised to 19[81] 1986: Raised to 21 in 1986 (Sep 1)[8][26]
21
cells: Utah
?
1935: 21[7]
21[14]
21[8]
21
cells: Vermont
?
21[7]
1971: Lowered to 18[82][83]
1986: Raised to 21[21][83]
21
cells: Virginia
?
21[84]
1974: Lowered to 18: for beer and wine (21: for liquor remained)[84]
1981: Raised to 19 for off-premises consumption 1983: Raised to 19 (all beer) 1985: Raised to 21[84]
21
cells: Washington
"Age of majority" since 1877[85]
21[citation needed]
21
21[8]
21
cells: West Virginia
?
18: for beer and wine 21: for liquor[11]
1972: Lowered to 18 (all)[86]
1983: Raised to 19 (& 21 for non-residents)[8][43] 1986: Raised to 21[8]
21
cells: Wisconsin
1839–1866: 18: for wine and liquor None: for beer Post-1866: 21 (all)[87]
18: for beer 21: for wine and spirits 1957: 21: for residents of bordering states with age limit 21.[88] 1963: Raised to 21 (off-premises beer sales, remained 18 for on-premises).[88]
1972: Lowered to 18 (all) in 1972 (Mar)[88] 1977: Border state restriction lifted.[88]
1984: Raised to 19 1986: Raised to 21 (September 1, 1986)[88]
21 (however anyone can drink when parents, spouses, teachers are present)[citation needed]
cells: Wyoming
?
21[7]
1973: Lowered to 19[13]
1988: Raised to 21 in 1988 (Jul 1)[89][90] Last state to raise de jure drinking age to 21
21
cells: American Samoa
?
?
?
21?
21[91]
cells: Northern Mariana Islands
–
–
?
21?
21[92]
cells: Puerto Rico
?
18
18
Kept at 18 despite 10% highway funding penalty under Drinking Age Act.
18[93]
cells: Virgin Islands
?
?
?
18
18[94]
cells: Guam
?
21?
18
18
Raised to 21 in 2010[5]

Questions about this table:
originalText: when did massachusetts change the drinking age to 21
answer: answerTexts: 1985