Age Verification and Prohibited Sales to Minors or Intoxicated Persons
Age verification
Nebraska's minimum age is 21. A licensee or employee may not sell, furnish, or give alcoholic liquor to a minor. The exam tests both the legal standard and practical carding.
Checking ID
- Accept a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID: a Nebraska driver's license or state ID, an out-of-state license, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a military ID.
- Check that the photo matches, the birth date shows age 21 or older, the expiration date is current, and the format is consistent. A vertical Nebraska license usually signals a person under 21.
- If the ID is expired, altered, borrowed, or does not match the person, refuse the sale.
- Nebraska law provides a defense when the licensee or employee reasonably relied on a valid ID showing the person was 21 or older; it does not protect a clerk who ignored obvious signs of a fake.
Intoxicated persons
Do not serve a person who is intoxicated or whom you know or have reason to know is intoxicated. Signs include slurred speech, unsteady balance, bloodshot or glassy eyes, aggressive or overly loud behavior, and ordering multiple drinks rapidly. Refuse service, offer food and water, and help arrange a safe ride. Do not serve a group if one member is visibly intoxicated and continuing to buy for others.
Worked example
A customer hands over an out-of-state license. The birth date shows he turned 21 three weeks ago; the photo matches and the license is not expired. You may serve him. If the license is expired by two months, it is not valid proof, and you should refuse unless he provides another valid ID.
Traps that cost marks
Accepting "I forgot my ID" or a photo of an ID; carding only the buyer when a group is ordering; missing vertical-format licenses; and serving someone who is "just a little tipsy" because they are not falling down.