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New Jersey statute

N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17 — Availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses

Current through P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

Part of Chapter 33, New Jersey Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17

Statutory text current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22. This publication reproduces the official text of the New Jersey Statutes from the statute files published by the New Jersey Legislature; it is not the official statutes of the State of New Jersey.

N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17Primary source, current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22
1. a. Anyone who purposely or knowingly offers or serves or makes available an alcoholic beverage to a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages or entices or encourages that person to drink an alcoholic beverage is a disorderly person. This subsection shall not apply to a parent or guardian of the person under legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages if the parent or guardian is of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages or to a religious observance, ceremony or rite. This subsection shall also not apply to any person in his home who is of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages who offers or serves or makes available an alcoholic beverage to a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages or entices that person to drink an alcoholic beverage in the presence of and with the permission of the parent or guardian of the person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages if the parent or guardian is of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages. b. A person who makes real property owned, leased or managed by him available to, or leaves that property in the care of, another person with the purpose that alcoholic beverages will be made available for consumption by, or will be consumed by, persons who are under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages is guilty of a disorderly persons offense. This subsection shall not apply if: (1) the real property is licensed or required to be licensed by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control in accordance with the provisions of R.S.33:1-1 et seq.; (2) the person making the property available, or leaving it in the care of another person, is of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages and is the parent or guardian of the person who consumes alcoholic beverages while under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages; or (3) the alcoholic beverages are consumed by a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages during a religious observance, ceremony or rite. c. For purposes of this section, an alcoholic beverage includes powdered alcohol as defined by R.S.33:1-1. L.1985, c.311, s.1; amended 1995, c.31; 2015, c.137, s.4.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses a crime in New Jersey?

Availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses is a disorderly persons offense in New Jersey, which is not a crime under the New Jersey Constitution (N.J.S.A. 2C:1-4) — it carries no criminal record and is heard in municipal court. Governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17.

Which New Jersey statute covers availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses?

Availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17 (Availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.