logo
Brief Publisher Logo
FACT BRIEF

Is it illegal in Texas to buy hard liquor in stores on Sunday but legal to do so in bars?

By Hanna Landa
View this fact brief on Fort Worth Report
Copy link
email
Copy featured image
email
YES

Texas bans liquor stores from selling hard alcohol on Sunday, but bars and restaurants can do so.

People are allowed to buy liquor in a bar or restaurant in Texas beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday. If they are not eating, people have to wait until noon Sunday.

Texas has restricted liquor sales on Sundays since 1935, after a law was passed in response to the end of Prohibition.

The ban is one of the few remaining pieces of the state’s blue laws, which were intended to prohibit the sale of certain goods on Sundays, a day traditionally dedicated to church and resting.

In 2023, state legislators proposed ending the ban on Sunday liquor sales by allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails seven days a week. The bill did not reach a vote.

Previous attempts to lift the ban were unsuccessful, too.

See a full discussion of this at Fort Worth Report
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Texas Legislature Alcoholic Beverage Code
Texas Legislature Alcoholic Beverage Code | Sec. 24.07. Hours of Sale
State of Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code | Chapter 105. Hours of Sale and Consumption
The Dallas Morning News (archive) Is Texas going to end the ban on Sunday liquor sales?
Texas Tribune Texplainer: Why Can't I Buy a Car or Liquor on Sundays?
Texas Legislature Bill: SB 1288
Texas Legislature Bill: HB 2200
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Fort Worth Report
The Fort Worth Report is a 501(c)(3) organization that launched April 12, 2021. This new media outlet is built on a foundation of local leadership and local investment. It provides community-sourced journalism that exclusively supports and reports on the Fort Worth community with fact-based, thoughtful and contextual coverage without bias or predetermined agendas. The enterprise is governed by a mission statement, bylaws, and an organizational structure that ensures it remains faithful to these foundational principles.
FACT BRIEF BY
Brief Publisher Logo
Latest fact briefs
facebook
twitter
email
email
About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.