No, liquor stores are not open on Sundays in Alabama if you mean the state-run ABC stores, which are closed every Sunday without exception. Whether you can buy beer or wine at a private retailer, or order a drink at a restaurant, depends on the city or county you’re standing in.
State ABC Stores Close Every Sunday
Alabama is a control state. The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board runs the state’s retail liquor stores and sets their hours through the ABC Administrator.1Alabama ABC Board. About Us2Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 20-X-4-.01 – Operation of ABC Board State Liquor Stores Every ABC store in the state is closed Sundays. Because these are government-run, no city council vote or local ordinance changes that. If you need distilled spirits, buy them Monday through Saturday.
Beer and Wine at Private Retailers on Sunday
Alabama’s baseline rule is that selling, serving, or even consuming alcohol in a public place on Sunday after 2:00 a.m. is illegal. The only exception is a local act or general act of local application from the state legislature that specifically authorizes Sunday sales in that jurisdiction.3Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 28-3A-25 – Unlawful Acts and Offenses
There is no blanket local-option switch. Each city or county has to push its own legislation through Montgomery, which is why the rules change dramatically from town to town. In jurisdictions with authorization, grocery stores, convenience stores, and package shops can sell beer, wine, and in some cases spirits on Sunday under whatever terms the local act sets. Many set a start time of 10:00 a.m. or noon rather than allowing sales from midnight onward.
Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and Auburn are among the larger cities that allow Sunday sales starting at 10:00 a.m. Other cities set noon. Rules change when a jurisdiction passes new local legislation, so what was true a few years ago may not be true now. If you’re not sure about a specific city, call the store or the local ABC enforcement office before driving over.
Bars and Restaurants on Sunday
On-premise consumption follows the same framework: banned Sundays statewide unless a local act says otherwise. Some jurisdictions authorize on-premise Sunday sales but keep off-premise sales restricted, so you might be able to legally order a cocktail at a restaurant while the package store next door stays closed.3Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 28-3A-25 – Unlawful Acts and Offenses Others allow both, and some allow neither. The permissions are narrow and jurisdiction-specific.
Alcohol Delivery on Sunday
Alabama allows licensed delivery services to deliver beer, wine, and spirits to anyone 21 or older anywhere in the state.4Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 28-1-4 – Delivery of Alcoholic Beverages The catch is that alcohol can only be delivered during hours when it can legally be sold. In a jurisdiction that hasn’t authorized Sunday sales, delivery is off the table on Sunday. In one that allows Sunday sales starting at noon, no delivery before noon.
Wet, Dry, and “Damp” Counties
Whether Sunday sales are even a possibility depends first on whether your county or city is classified as wet. Under Alabama Code Section 28-2-1, counties vote to allow or reject alcohol sales. A county that voted to allow alcohol is wet; one that voted against it is dry.5Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 28-2-1 – Procedure for Elections to Determine Classification of Counties as Wet or Dry Counties; Laws Applicable in Dry Counties
The ABC Board currently lists 44 of Alabama’s 67 counties as wet. The remaining 23 are classified “Dry – Contains Wet Cities,” meaning the county went dry but individual cities inside it have authorized sales.6Alabama ABC Board. Wet Cities People sometimes call these “damp” counties, though the term isn’t official. No county in Alabama is entirely dry with zero wet areas.
Driving Alcohol Through a Dry County
This one catches people out. If you buy alcohol legally in a wet city and drive home through a dry county, you’re technically carrying “prohibited liquors” through a jurisdiction that restricts possession. Alabama law makes it a misdemeanor to transport prohibited liquors from one locality to another within the state.7Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 28-4-113 – Acceptance for or Shipment, Transportation, Delivery, Etc., of Prohibited Liquors or Beverages
At five gallons, the exposure escalates hard. Transporting five gallons or more of prohibited liquor is a felony punishable by one to five years in prison.8Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 28-4-115 – Transportation of Prohibited Liquors or Beverages in Quantities of Five Gallons or More Five gallons is roughly 25 standard bottles of wine or about two cases of beer. Stocking up for a party and taking the wrong route home can put a normal buyer in felony territory.