Prohibition in the United States ran nationally from 1920 to 1933, beginning on January 17, 1920, and ending on December 5, 1933.

Quick Scoop: Key Dates ⏱️

  • Ratification of the 18th Amendment (banned alcohol nationwide): January 16, 1919.
  • Prohibition takes effect across the U.S.: January 17, 1920 (often marked as the official start of the Prohibition era).
  • Repeal of Prohibition via the 21st Amendment: December 5, 1933.

So, when people ask “when was Prohibition in America,” they’re usually referring to the period 1920–1933.

In short: Prohibition in America was from 1920 to 1933, bookended by the 18th and 21st Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.