Nashville Announces It Will Test Some Beer Sellers for Selling Without Checking ID

Nashville will test some of its beer sellers by having someone attempt to purchase beer without presenting identification.

The Metro Beer Permit Board announced Monday it will conduct compliance checks by having an individual over 21 years old enter establishments with off-sale beer permits and try to purchase beer without an ID, according to a Nashville government news release. The board wants to enhance compliance with state law among sellers with off-sale permits.

An off-sale beer permit is a permit issued by the Metro Beer Permit Board that allows an establishment to sell beer that must be consumed off the premises of the establishment, according to Metro beer permit law. Grocery, convenience, and liquor stores are establishments that generally have off-sale permits, while bars and restaurants generally have on-sale permits which mandate customers to consume the beer they have purchased on the establishment’s premises.

The board’s test will follow a specific scenario where an individual over the age of 21 will approach an establishment’s clerk and attempt to purchase beer without an ID, according to the release. The individual will say, “I don’t have it on me” when asked for their ID, and they will be truthful about their age if asked.

Establishments that do not ask for the individual’s ID will be deemed in violation of state law, according to the release. However, Metro Nashville did not specify whether law enforcement would be involved in the operation.

Beer sellers must be presented with government-issued identification like a driver’s license before making a sale to any individual for off-premises consumption, according to state law. Purchasers who do not present identification but appear to be reasonably over the age of 50 are exempt from this requirement.

Violation of the statute is a Class A misdemeanor, which could carry a nearly one-year prison sentence and a $2,500 fine.

The new procedure is effective immediately, according to the release.

The Metro Beer Permit Board is a seven-member government body that has jurisdiction over beer sales, manufacture, transportation, and possession in Nashville.

In January, Metro Nashville approved an ordinance updating the government’s legal definition of beer to exclude alcoholic beverages below 8 percent alcohol in weight and contain wine or distilled spirits, according to a February news release. Selling such beverages now legally requires more than a beer permit and must have a license from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

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Matthew Giffin is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Matthew on X/Twitter.