How Hard Is It To Break The Law While Drinking In Texas?

I wouldn't say the answer is that it's easy but it's not exactly "difficult".

The laws in Texas regarding alcohol are many and confusing. In fact, 360training.com, a training firm, called them a "complicated mess". What can you serve, when can you serve it, who can you serve it to, etc. etc.

That's why servers must take an approved training course like the ones 360 offers. On the other side, the customers can also get in trouble if we do something wrong.

Customers don't necessarily get a training course but most laws regrading the buying and consuming of alcohol are fairly well known. There are more than you might realize though, here are a few:

Buying/Selling It:

If you are underage and you buy booze, you committed a crime.
If you buy it FOR someone who is underage ... not your child or spouse ... you committed a crime.
Even if they don't drink it, just being in possession of alcoholic beverages can get minors in trouble.
If you leave home, lock the liquor cabinet. Your kids underage friends, who drink, could land YOU in trouble.
If you buy it and then resell it, without a TABC license, you broke the law.

Getty Images

Drinking it.

If you drink, get (legally) drunk and then drive; you're breaking the law.
If you drink WHILE you're driving, legally drunk or not, you're breaking the law.
If you drink it outside of, (or off the premises of), a private residence or a licensed drinking establishment, you're breaking the law only IF you're in a state park or in a city that prohibits this. Not all of them do.
Permits for offsite sales can be arranged for special events.

Behavior.

Operating ANY motorized vehicle in public, in Texas, can get you in trouble if you're over the legal limit. Whether you're on a "roadway" or not.
You know you can't drive drunk but you can't walk drunk either. That could get you a public intoxication charge.
Texas gives "public" a pretty wide definition. Criminaldefenselawyer.com says it's "any place that members of the public can access, including bars, restaurants, public streets, and even the common areas of schools, hospitals, office buildings, and apartment buildings".
Other things you do, while drunk and in public, can get you a public intox charge like being loud, fighting, etc.

These are just a few things that a surprising number of people don't know. To view ALL the TABC laws, rules and regs, click here.