TABC Minors and Age Verification 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'proxy purchasing' under Texas alcohol law?
- Ordering alcohol online for delivery
- An adult buying alcohol on behalf of a minor (Correct answer)
- Purchasing alcohol with a gift card
- Buying alcohol in bulk for resale
Correct answer: An adult buying alcohol on behalf of a minor
Proxy purchasing (or furnishing) occurs when an adult buys alcohol and provides it to a person under 21, which is illegal in Texas.
Question 2: Which of the following is a real risk when serving a group that includes apparent minors?
- The group may order too many drinks
- An adult may pass their drink to a minor (Correct answer)
- Minors may complain about the service
- The bill will be harder to calculate
Correct answer: An adult may pass their drink to a minor
Servers must monitor groups with minors to ensure that alcohol is not passed from adults to underage members.
Question 3: What is the best way for a server to check an ID's authenticity?
- Compare the photo to the customer and check the birth date and security features (Correct answer)
- Only check the birth date
- Ask the customer to recite information from the ID
- Use a blacklight regardless of ID type
Correct answer: Compare the photo to the customer and check the birth date and security features
A thorough ID check includes comparing the photo to the customer, verifying the birth date, and checking security features such as holograms and microprint.
Question 4: A regular customer, known to staff and of legal age, arrives with a new friend who has no ID. What should the server do?
- Serve both since the regular customer vouches for the friend
- Refuse alcohol service to the friend without valid ID (Correct answer)
- Ask the regular customer to buy a drink and share it
- Serve soft drinks and forget about it
Correct answer: Refuse alcohol service to the friend without valid ID
A regular's vouching for a friend does not replace valid ID; the unknown individual must present their own valid identification.
Question 5: Under TABC rules, what is the legal risk to an establishment if its employee sells alcohol to a minor?
- The establishment faces no liability if the employee acted alone
- The establishment may face license suspension or revocation and fines (Correct answer)
- The establishment only receives a warning letter on first offense
- The establishment's health rating is affected
Correct answer: The establishment may face license suspension or revocation and fines
TABC can suspend or revoke an establishment's license and impose fines if an employee sells alcohol to a minor, even if management was unaware.
Question 6: What training does TABC recommend for front-door staff (bouncers/hosts) regarding age verification?
- No specific training is required for door staff
- Door staff should receive the same TABC-certified seller/server training (Correct answer)
- Only bartenders need TABC certification
- Door staff only need to know how to spot fake IDs
Correct answer: Door staff should receive the same TABC-certified seller/server training
All staff involved in alcohol-related activities, including door staff who check IDs, should be TABC certified to ensure consistent legal compliance.
TABC Minors and Age Verification 3
What is 'proxy purchasing' under Texas alcohol law?