# Why aren't passports acceptable ID when buying alcohol? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2006, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020 "2006-11-19T09:25:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/61 "2012-05-23T13:31:04Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Can anyone confirm what’s typical for the various laws around the country? Here’s the law in Washington state: WAC 314-11-025 What are the forms of acceptable identification? (1) Per RCW 66.16.040, following are the forms of identification that are acceptable to verify a person’s age for the purpose of selling, serving, or allowing a person to possess or consume alcohol: ``` (a) Driver's license, instruction permit, or identification card of any state or province of Canada, or "identicard" issued by the Washington state department of licensing per RCW 46.20.117; (b) United States armed forces identification card issued to active duty, reserve, and retired personnel and the personnel's dependents, which may include an embedded, digital signature in lieu of a visible signature; (c) Passport; (d) Merchant Marine identification card issued by the United States Coast Guard; and (e) Enrollment card issued by the governing authority of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Washington, if the enrollment card incorporates security features comparable to those implemented by the department of licensing for Washington driver's licenses. (2) If the identification document has an expiration date, a person may not use the document after the expiration date to verify his or her age. ``` Link: [WAC 314-11-025:](http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=314-11-025) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/62 "2012-05-23T14:09:37Z")
> [@arashiyamato](#): > > I ran into an unpleasant situation earlier today. > > As background information, I am an Asian America in my late twenties, living in California. > > Today, I went over to Whole Foods to purchase a light alcoholic beverage (Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider, to be specific). When I went to the check-out isle, a lady in her mid 40’s shouted loudly, “You will need your ID sir!” She stated this belittling request as though I was guilty, and not going to get away with purchasing alcohol. > > I handed over to her my driver’s license and she looked back and forth several times. “You’re not 29, probably not even 19!” > > “How old do I look?” I asked. > > “Twelve,” she responded. > > Okay, that’s my ID, I was thinking. Is she going to give it back to me? I smiled and stated, “Well, I don’t know what to say. Are you going to sell me the drink?” > > Afterwards, she rung the manager up and he asked me a few questions, as to test my age. I have a polo shirt and look like a fair working professional. It was 1pm, high-schoolers would have probably be in school. Besides, teenagers would prefer Coors Light or Budweiser? I don’t know, they could have asked better questions, like, “What’s your major?” or "Have you tried \_\_\_\_ (a drink older people would know)? > > I was sort of offended. I almost felt like insulting her. At least I wasn’t in my 40’s earning less than 10 bucks scanning groceries at Whole Foods. As a web developer, I probably made 4x her wage. > > It was sort of a drag, but I had to mildly play more aggressive if they were going to take this seriously. And so I raised my tone and spoke more directly and manly. All of this, wasn’t necessary; I could have just walked out without purchasing the hard cider. But I found it to be the only since I needed a drink from a long day of work. > > For some reason, they entered all of my data on the computer. What’s up with this? And so, after 10 or something minutes, I walked out with my drink. There were also dozens of shoppers having to go to other lanes to check out their food and what not. > > In all, it seriously makes me not want to drink. Maybe it’s an omen? The same with dating gals. All the gals think I’m too young and they treat me like I don’t know anything. Must I prove to people? Must I dress in a certain way? Must I have to play out a stupid role that’s not myself? I’ll probably won’t even quality for the senior discount at restaurants when I’m 90. Damn, it really sucks! :smack: Wasn’t there a Sex and the City epiode where Samantha dumps the short guy when she finds out he buys his clothes from the Boy’s Wear department at the store? Looks are everything… Really, my 92-year-old stepmother got carded when my 88-yo dad ordered a beer in the restaurant at a mid-west airport (they checked his ID too!). Seriously, “sorry, those are the rules”. She’s sitting with him, she did not order her own drink, he ordered alcohol, must check her ID too. Just in case she sips his beer… Ah, the joys of age discrimination - can’t just pick on the ones who “look” under 18. (Oh, yeah, it’s 21 not 18 in the “land of the free” isn’t it?) In the late 1960’s my French teacher, fresh off the boat from France, complained that you could buy alcohol at the LCBO with a plain paper drivers’ license filled in by typewriter in those days, no photo, but many places would not accept a French passport with photo, embossing, metal foil crest, etc. (in the days before fancy printing equipment was readily available). My brother, who was 18 but looked 14 at the time, used to lend his ID to his buddy to buy their liquor - a thyroid giant who was 6’2" and looked 20yo instead of his actual 15yo. It was less hassle than arguing that this really was his ID. ID laws are stupid, but modern tech is so ingenious and there are so many possible ID’s with 50 states, 10 provinces, armed forces, etc. - that unless you keep a reference book, what are you going to do? IIRC a few years ago there was a stink in Canada about bars photographing ID when they admitted patrons; mainly as a CYA technique, but also the question was what else did they do with that data? So easy to set up a web cam and laptop - plop the ID down and snap a picture in 2 seconds. Should a bar be allowed to keep proof that you presented apparently valid ID? ---
**Author:** ![angusbeef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@angusbeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angusbeef)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/63 "2012-12-26T09:01:34Z")
It seems like the person who I.D. you was uncomfortable with passports being valid. The thing with servers/bartenders/cocktail waitresses, they can refuse I.D. if they do not feel comfortable serving you alcohol but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not valid. The first thing you should do is ask for the manager. Certain establishments may also have a trouble determining which I.D’s are considered valid as well. Some places will refuse military I.D. because I believe it doesn’t have personal address or place of camp they were placed in. If they do then I apologize. Just remember, a server or bartender is allowed to use the right to not serve you if they do not feel comfortable serving but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask the manager (in a polite manner). ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/64 "2012-12-26T10:21:52Z")
Ohio’s [law exempting cashiers and servers from personal consequences for underage sales if they check ID](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4301.639) only allows “a driver’s or commercial driver’s license, an identification card issued under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code, or a military identification card issued by the United States department of defense, that displays a picture of the individual for whom the license or card was issued and shows that the person buying was then at least twenty-one years of age.” So a cashier or server would have a pretty good reason to not accept a passport (or, it seems, a non-driver ID card from another state). ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/65 "2012-12-26T11:17:48Z")
> [@biqu](#): > > I’ve bought two bottles of wine in the past six months, both times using my passport to prove my age. As others have said, perhaps Safeway has an overly zealous store policy on acceptable forms of ID. In my case it helped that I walked into the stores with a bike helmet, **lending credibility to the claim that I have no driver’s licence** and the U.S. passport is the only form of ID I could provide. Since this zombie is fully up and running, I might as well ask: 😕 Why on earth wouldn’t a bike rider have their license with them? or is it a whoosh? ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/66 "2012-12-26T12:04:46Z")
> [@half-elf](#): > > Since this zombie is fully up and running, I might as well ask: 😕 Why on earth wouldn’t a bike rider have their license with them? or is it a whoosh? I’m not aware of any place that requires licensing for a bicycle rider (I assume that was what was meant). ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/67 "2012-12-26T13:11:30Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’m not aware of any place that requires licensing for a bicycle rider (I assume that was what was meant). :smack: Indeed…how obvious! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/68 "2012-12-26T13:34:32Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I work in a restaurant/bar and my manager did tell us once “If they’re in the states, why would they be using a US passport?” Some people have a US passport but don’t live in the states. Some people have lost their state ID and haven’t gotten their new one yet. etc etc. I’m sure it’s possible to think of many scenarios. Basically, people are paranoid of the unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/69 "2012-12-26T13:56:24Z")
> [@](#): > > : > > > [@](#): > > > > : > > Cooke said the federal government does not require the use of a person’s full legal name for the issuance of a passport. It also does not require “rigid proof” of identity or legal residency in the United States. > > It is pretty obvious to me that Mr. Cooke has never applied for a passport. Read the requirements to get a US passport in my link. A certified birth certificate most assuredly gives you legal residency. Not entirely true. You can get a passport issued under other than your legal name. I have one. My original one was issued in 1964 and I had to get a notarized statement from two people that I was the same person. The _only_ two people still alive who did were my parents, but that was acceptable. Since then I have gotten new passports regularly based on the old ones. Since here in California I can use a passport to obtain a DL but I can’t use a DL to obtain a passport, I stand by my comment. Reply With Quote ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/70 "2012-12-26T14:53:07Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > … > > …I say it’s a plot to get us to ask for universal IDs just out of frustration… 😉 Well, that _is_ a valid argument for universal ID. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/71 "2012-12-26T15:32:18Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > “If they’re in the states, why would they be using a US passport?” but he left it at that and never explicitly said _not_ to accept passports as ID. I look younger than my age, and I used to have a New Hampshire driver’s license. Back in the mid-2000s, New Hampshire did an unbelievably bad job of printing these things - shoddy lamination, slightly off-center, etc. Even a perfectly legitimate license looked fake. So, at 25 years of age, not only was I getting carded, I had bouncers accusing me of trying to pass a fake ID. One guy even took my license and refused to hand it back until I offered to ask a cop to look at it. So, I started taking my passport to bars. Eventually, I started looking old enough that bouncers would believe the NH license, and I carry a DC license now - but at one time, I had an excellent reason for using my US passport for ID in US bars. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/72 "2012-12-26T17:55:29Z")
Out of curiosity, what are the rules for establishments and their legal liability if they accept a form of ID (drivers license, passport, etc.) that looks completely legitimate, and make a good-faith effort in checking their veracity, but later turns out to be fraudulent? How far is the establishment supposed to go in terms of verifying the legitimacy of the document and person using the document? I suppose most places aren’t going to want to deal with these kinds of legal issues, so will err on the side of caution, but I have no idea how far their responsibility goes, and what kind of defenses are available to them. ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/73 "2012-12-26T19:44:50Z")
I can’t precisely remember how the question arose, but when I was getting a new driver’s license some time ago, a local county DMV employee told me that soon only valid passports would be accepted as ID, not expired ones. Even though expired ones still attest to date of birth. Has anyone else heard anything like that? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/74 "2012-12-26T20:42:11Z")
> [@Notassmartasithought](#): > > I can’t precisely remember how the question arose, but when I was getting a new driver’s license some time ago, a local county DMV employee told me that soon only valid passports would be accepted as ID, not expired ones. Even though expired ones still attest to date of birth. Has anyone else heard anything like that? Yup. See post #61 above point (2). ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/75 "2012-12-26T22:08:07Z")
Ah, missed it. But it still doesn’t make sense, does it? The data on the document doesn’t change when it expires. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/76 "2012-12-26T22:11:06Z")
> [@Notassmartasithought](#): > > Ah, missed it. > > But it still doesn’t make sense, does it? The data on the document doesn’t change when it expires. I’ve had bartenders not accept expired drivers licenses around here. In fact, that’s how I found out my last one was just about to expire. I assume it’s to prevent it from being just permanently given/sold to another similar looking person to use as ID. Just a WAG. ETA: Although, I guess it really wouldn’t matter, as you can “lose” your ID if you wanted to use it in that way, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/77 "2012-12-26T22:24:44Z")
I have been using my passport as my primary ID for the past two a half years. I don’t drive and I move often, so after my previous ID expired I haven’t had any real reason to cough up $20 and spend an afternoon at the DMV to get a new one. I haven’t had any problems yet in any state buying alcohol in restaurants, supermarkets or liquor stores. Indeed, I’ve only heard one or two comments about it over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/78 "2012-12-26T22:52:23Z")
> [@half-elf](#): > > :smack: Indeed…how obvious! Thanks. I’m sure you’ll catch me in a facepalm moment at some point. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CubbyPaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b4bc9f/32.png) [@CubbyPaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CubbyPaw)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/79 "2013-11-27T05:05:10Z")
> [@Penchan](#): > > I have a valid U.S. passport which is the only ID I have right now that shows my birthdate. I tried to use my passport to buy some alcohol from Safeway, and they told me that passports are now no longer acceptable forms of ID. How is it possible that I can use my passport as proper ID to exit the U.S. and enter another country, but I can’t use it as a form of ID when buying alcohol from the local grocery store? I’ve worked in restaurants for years and this argument drives me crazy. I know it’s frustrating from the standpoint of trying to buy liquor but he agencies that control things like Passports, immigration and travel are not the same as the agencies who regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol in various states. In California alcohol sales rules and regulations are set and enforced by ABC the Alcoholic Beverage Control, they set their own standards for what is and isn’t a valid ID and it has nothing to do with any other agency like the military, department of immigration, the DMV etc. In California up until December 2009, ABC considered a valid ID to be one that has not only a photo and a birthdate, but also a physical description written on the ID. Eye Color, Hair color, weight, height etc. If an ID didn’t have those it wasn’t considered valid, and since Passports and Military IDs don’t have those, they were not acceptable for buying alcohol. California has since amended its laws to allow Passports and Military IDs, but that rule was in place for a long time and a lot of places don’t realize the law has been changed, and I’m sure other states have similar laws that may or may not allow for Passports and Military IDS… But form the standpoint of “Well a passport can get me into the country it should get me liquor”, the two aren’t controlled by the same agencies and the same laws do not apply. Also it may seem like a drag but restaurants face really serious penalties if they are caught serving alcohol to people without proper ID, fines and loss of a liquor license included and especially for small restaurants they could be put out of business. Yeah its a hassle, but honestly if you don’t like the law, petition the people who control your state’s alcohol consumption, the restaurant is just trying to follow the rules so they don’t get dinged, serving someone a drink without valid ID can cost them thousands of dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020/80 "2013-11-27T06:09:20Z")
Your missing the point. Go back and read post 19. It’s not that the passport can get you in the country. You can use a passport to get a driver’s license, but you cannot use a driver’s license to get a passport. (See post 19 for cites) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-passports-acceptable-id-when-buying-alcohol/381020.md?page=5)