Penalties for Drinking or Possessing Alcohol
Penalties for Drinking or Possessing Alcohol

What are the penalties if I drink or possess alcohol while I am under 21?
Penalties for a first offense may include probation with conditions set by a community diversion program such as Youth Court. (See the discussion of Youth Court in Section 7 of this Guide). Conditions during probation could include going to counseling, taking alcohol education courses, going into alcohol treatment, doing community work service, and paying certain fees.
The penalties get worse for repeat offenses. For a second offense, the minimum penalties increase to a mandatory $1,000 fine ($500 could be forgiven if you follow all other conditions), 48 hours of community work service, losing your driving privileges or license for three months, and other conditions.
For a third offense, the minimum penalty can include jail time, fines, and or probation until age 21; 96 hours of community work service; and losing your driving privileges for 6 months. The court may require you to pay for and successfully complete alcohol treatment. The court may tell you that you cannot drink any alcohol or use inhalants while on probation, and may order other conditions.