when can you buy alcohol in georgia on sunday
You can usually buy alcohol in Georgia on Sundays starting after 12:30 p.m. and up to about 11:30 p.m. , but the exact hours depend heavily on the city or county you’re in.
Quick Scoop: Core Rule
For most of Georgia:
- Off‑premise sales (grocery stores, gas stations, liquor/package stores):
- Sunday: Not before 12:30 p.m., and typically until 11:30 p.m.
- On‑premise sales (bars, restaurants):
- Many places also follow a 12:30 p.m. start, but some have a local “brunch law” that lets them serve as early as 11:00 a.m. on Sundays.
- Every other day (Mon–Sat): Sales generally allowed from 8:00 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. for stores, with bars often serving until around 2:00 a.m., subject to local rules.
So if you’re asking “when can you buy alcohol in Georgia on Sunday,” the safe, statewide baseline is 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. , with some local exceptions that may be slightly more generous.
Local Exceptions and Fine Print
Georgia lets counties and cities tweak Sunday alcohol hours by local ordinance or referendum, so rules can change once you cross a county line.
Common variations:
- Some jurisdictions let restaurants and bars start serving at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays (brunch law), while stores still must wait until 12:30 p.m.
- “Dry” or more restrictive counties may prohibit certain Sunday sales entirely or limit them to on‑premise only.
- Big cities like Atlanta often have their own detailed codes about Sunday hours and special-event exceptions (for example, for stadiums or New Year’s Eve that falls on a Sunday).
Because of this patchwork, it’s always wise to:
- Check your specific city or county rules (local government or police websites usually list alcohol hours).
- Verify whether you’re talking about:
- Store purchase to take home (off‑premise), or
- A drink at a bar or restaurant (on‑premise), since the hours can differ.
Simple Example
If you’re in a typical Georgia suburb on a regular Sunday:
- You go to a grocery store at 11:45 a.m. and try to buy a six‑pack: the sale will likely be refused because it’s before 12:30 p.m.
- The same store will usually sell it to you at 2:00 p.m. with no problem, and keep selling until around 11:30 p.m.
Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.