Ministry of Housing and Social Development

The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19 years of age.

It’s a good idea to have identification with you when purchasing alcohol in B.C. If a server believes you may be underage, they must verify your age by asking to see the following two pieces of ID:

• An official government issued ID (including official foreign government-issued IDs) with your name, signature, picture and birth date, such as a driver’s licence or passport.
• A secondary piece of ID that includes an imprint of your name and your signature or picture, such as a credit card.

If the server has any doubts about a customer’s ID, they may refuse service.

It’s against the law to purchase alcohol for someone who is underage.

If police catch a minor trying to purchase alcohol using false ID, the police may issue the minor a $115 fine.

In B.C., you are not allowed to drink alcohol in a public place—such as a street or a park—unless it has been specially approved as a place where drinking may occur (during a community festival where there is a liquor licence in place, for example). You may drink alcohol outside at your home or at your campsite.

The police may arrest you if you are found intoxicated (drunk) in a public place.

They may also seize your liquor if you are found drinking or selling it in a public place, supplying it to minors, or driving with an open liquor bottle in the car. (Please see Liquor seizures and how to get your liquor back for more on this.)

Open liquor in a motor vehicle must not be readily accessible to anyone in the motor vehicle (stored behind the seat, in the trunk, etc.). Passengers are not permitted to consume alcohol in a moving vehicle.

Since boats operate on public waterways, liquor may only be consumed in boats or other water craft if the vessel is licensed or it is being used as a residence. In this case, residents and their guests may consume liquor in the cabin or on the deck of their boat.

Having open liquor and drinking liquor in open vessels, small water craft, or vessels which are not equipped to be living quarters is not allowed.

Operating or assisting to operate a vessel or having the care and control of a vessel while impaired by alcohol or with a blood alcohol level more than .08 (eighty milligrams of alcohol in one hundred millilitres of blood) is a criminal offence. The same rules which prohibit driving while impaired apply to vessels.

Persons using smaller vessels for a special event, such as a day charter by a social club for its members, may obtain a Special Occasion Licence to allow for the sale and service of liquor to the participants.

Cruise ships and larger motor vessels that ply scheduled routes or travel from one destination to another may be licensed if they provide a service that, while primarily marine oriented, is consistent with the services provided by other sectors of the hospitality industry (for example, luncheon and dinner cruises).

You can purchase packaged liquor—such as a bottle of wine or a case of beer—at government liquor stores, or licensed private outlets, including specialty wine stores. Liquor is not sold in grocery stores and corner stores in B.C.

Bars, pubs, restaurants, night clubs and stadiums sell drinks by-the-glass. You may not bring your own alcohol into these venues.

You may take home an unfinished bottle of wine from a bar or restaurant, provided one of the servers seals it before you leave. If you are leaving by car, you must ensure it is not readily accessible to anyone in the vehicle while you are driving. (Store it behind the seat or in the trunk, etc.)

If you are visiting Canada or you have been away from Canada for at least 48 hours you may bring a small amount of liquor into B.C. duty free, provided you are 19 years of age or older.

You may bring up to:

• 1.5 litres of wine, or
• 1.14 litres of distilled spirits, or
• A total of 1.14 litres of wine AND distilled spirits combined, or
• 8.5 litres of beer.

Licensees must follow provincial liquor laws and policies, to ensure safe and responsible liquor service. For example, there are strict limits on the hours of sale and the number of people they may allow in a licensed establishment at any given time. In addition, servers must refuse service to anyone who is intoxicated and ensure they leave safely.

Liquor inspectors and/or police visit licensed establishments—and will usually arrive unannounced—to ensure servers are complying with B.C. liquor laws. Licensees found not following the rules may receive a fine or suspension, or lose their licence.

Foreign consulates can bring liquor into B.C. to serve at events hosted by the consul general at their consulate. They can also donate diplomatic or consular liquor to events at locations outside the consulate provided there is a charitable or fundraising component. After the event, the event organizers must return any unused product to the consulate. The charity or organization receiving the funds must obtain prior approval from the Director of Merchandise Services, Liquor Distribution Branch.