Can you buy alcohol with a photo of your driver’s license in NC? Here’s what to know
Like many other states, North Carolina has strict laws about buying and drinking alcohol.
Of course, those 21 and up must always show proof of age when getting a drink, but what if you forget an ID? If you happen to have a photo of your license, could you use that instead?
Here’s what the law says.
Acceptable IDs to buy alcohol in NC
There are four forms of acceptable identification which can be presented when purchasing alcohol, state law says, “showing the purchaser’s age to be at least the required age for purchase and bearing a physical description of the person named on the card reasonably describing the purchaser”:
Driver’s license
Special identification card
Military identification card
Passport
However, the law does not specify whether or not digital proof of valid identification can be accepted.
Can a photo serve as a substitute for a physical ID in NC?
No, because photographs can be “easily altered or manipulated to appear valid,” Jeff Strickland, public affairs director for the North Carolina ABC Commission, told The Charlotte Observer.
In North Carolina, there is no mandatory requirement that IDs be checked before alcohol is served or sold, Strickland said, as long as the person is not under 21 or already intoxicated. But a server or seller would only have a defense if they checked a customer’s ID beforehand.
“Technically someone can use or present a photo of an ID. But they might not be successful, and there is a good likelihood the seller will refuse, which is a best practice,” he said.
The state law only addresses the acceptable identifications, but not photos or digital proof of them.
“While it is not required that one of these forms of identification be presented to purchase alcohol, it is a best practice for all sellers and servers to follow in North Carolina. Sellers and servers also have the right to refuse a sale, as long as their refusal is not discriminatory,” Strickland said.
Consequences of not having acceptable ID
Because it is illegal for anyone underage to buy or drink alcohol, state law says the following identification cannot be used to purchase (or attempt to purchase) alcohol in North Carolina:
Fraudulent or altered driver’s license or identification document
Driver’s license or identification document issued to someone else
Otherwise, using a fake ID or even loaning your ID could lead you to temporarily lose your driver’s license or face criminal charges.
This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Can you buy alcohol with a photo of your driver’s license in NC? Here’s what to know."
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