Updated October 2026
Texas stores stop selling beer at midnight Monday through Friday and at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday night (early Sunday morning), and Sunday sales run from 10:00 a.m. to midnight. Sales can start at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. These hours come from Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.05 and apply to grocery stores, convenience stores, and other retailers selling beer for off-premise consumption. Wine sold under the same permits follows the same clock. Liquor is different: package stores close at 9:00 p.m. and stay closed all day Sunday.
Texas beer sales hours by day
Section 105.05 of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code sets the hours for malt beverages. For retailers selling beer to take home, the schedule works out as follows:
- Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. to midnight.
- Saturday: 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning. The statute allows sales from midnight to 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, which effectively extends Saturday night by an hour.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to midnight. The law generally bars sales from 1:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday, but it carves out an exception that lets holders of a retail dealer’s off-premise license sell beer for off-premise consumption starting at 10:00 a.m.
Under § 105.04, wine sold under a wine and malt beverage retailer’s permit or an off-premise permit follows the same hours prescribed for beer in § 105.05. That means the beer and wine aisle at a Texas grocery store or gas station runs on one clock. For chain-specific timing, see our guides to what time Walmart stops selling alcohol and what time gas stations stop selling alcohol.
Quick reference: Texas alcohol sale hours
| Day | Beer and wine in stores | Liquor in package stores |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 7:00 a.m. to midnight | 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Sunday | 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | 10:00 a.m. to midnight | Closed |
| New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas | Check your store; beer hours follow the day of the week | Closed |
Plan a late purchase around these limits: if you need beer after midnight on a weeknight, you are out of luck at any store, and a Sunday morning run has to wait until 10:00 a.m.
Liquor store hours are stricter
Distilled spirits fall under a separate rule. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.01 bars liquor sales:
- All day Sunday.
- Before 10:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. on other days.
- On New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
If Christmas Day or New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, § 105.01(b) carries the closure over to the following Monday. Spirits in Texas are sold through package stores rather than grocery aisles, which is why you can buy a six-pack at 11:00 p.m. but not a bottle of vodka. Our guide to what time liquor stores close in Texas covers package store rules in more detail.
Bars and restaurants run on different hours
The off-premise schedule above applies to beer you take home. On-premise sales at bars and restaurants follow other provisions. Section 105.05 lets on-premise permit holders serve beer from 10:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday only with food during food service. It also allows sales from midnight to 2:00 a.m. for on-premise retailers holding a late hours certificate. That extended window applies automatically in larger cities and counties, and elsewhere only where the county commissioners court or city council has adopted it. None of this extends grocery or convenience store hours.
Dry areas and local limits
Texas is a local option state, so some counties, cities, and precincts remain fully or partly dry. In a dry area, a store may sell no alcohol at all, or only beer and wine, regardless of the statewide hours. Individual stores can also stop selling earlier than the law allows as a matter of company policy. If you are unsure, check the store’s posted hours or call ahead.
Why Texas Walmart and Sam’s Club sell beer but not liquor
Texas law bars public corporations from holding the package store permits needed to sell liquor, so big-box chains owned by public companies sell beer and wine but not spirits. Our explainers on what states Walmart sells liquor in and which Sam’s Club locations sell liquor cover that rule.
ID, age, and responsible buying
You must be 21 to buy beer in Texas, and stores routinely check ID. A 12 ounce beer at 5% ABV equals one US standard drink of 14 grams of alcohol, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Never drink and drive.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy beer at 2 a.m. in Texas?
Not from a store. Off-premise beer sales end at midnight on weekdays and 1:00 a.m. after Saturday night. Some bars with a late hours certificate can serve until 2:00 a.m.
What time can you buy beer on Sunday in Texas?
Stores with a retail dealer’s off-premise license can sell beer from 10:00 a.m. to midnight on Sunday under § 105.05.
What time can you start buying beer in Texas?
7:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Are Texas liquor stores open on Sunday?
No. Section 105.01 bars liquor sales all day Sunday, and package stores also close on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Sources
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.05, Hours of Sale: Malt Beverages (statutes.capitol.texas.gov).
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.04, Hours of Sale: Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s and Off-Premise Permits.
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.01, Hours of Sale: Liquor.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, What Is a Standard Drink? (niaaa.nih.gov).
More in our Beer Guide.