Yes, you can buy alcohol on Sunday in Michigan. Beer and wine are sold from 7 a.m. Sunday through 2 a.m. Monday at licensed stores, bars, and restaurants across the state. Spirits and mixed drinks are more limited: they’re available only after noon on Sunday, and only in counties whose legislative body has voted to allow Sunday spirits sales. Local governments can tighten these rules further, and Christmas and New Year’s Eve carry their own hours.
Beer and Wine on Sunday
Under the Michigan Liquor Control Code, beer and wine can be sold between 7 a.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 436.2111 – Sunday Sale of Beer and Wine During Certain Hours That window covers both on-premise sales at bars and restaurants and off-premise sales at grocery stores, convenience stores, and other takeaway retailers, which the state calls specially designated merchant (SDM) licensees.2Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Specially Designated Merchant (SDM) License
Local governments hold a veto over part of that window. A county, city, village, or township can prohibit beer and wine sales between 7 a.m. and noon on Sunday, or ban Sunday beer and wine sales altogether.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 436.2111 – Sunday Sale of Beer and Wine During Certain Hours Most communities allow the full schedule, but rural townships sometimes restrict the early hours. If you’re in an unfamiliar area, don’t assume the local grocery will be selling six-packs at 8 a.m.
Spirits and Mixed Drinks on Sunday
Liquor is handled separately. The default rule in Michigan is that spirits and mixed drinks cannot be sold on Sunday at all. A county’s legislative body has to affirmatively authorize Sunday spirits sales by majority vote before any licensee in that county can pour or sell them.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 436.2113 – Selling at Retail or Buying Spirits or Mixed Spirit Drink on Sunday Most Michigan counties have done this. A few have not.
Where a county has authorized Sunday spirits sales, the hours work this way:
- At stores, spirits and mixed drinks can be sold after noon on Sunday through 2 a.m. Monday.
- At bars and restaurants, spirits and mixed drinks can be sold after noon on Sunday, but only where more than 50% of the establishment’s gross receipts come from food and non-alcohol sales. A drink-heavy bar wouldn’t qualify; a restaurant with a full menu typically does.
The license the business holds also matters. A tavern license covers beer, wine, and mixed drinks but not straight spirits, so a tavern won’t pour whiskey on Sunday even in a county that allows it.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 436.1525 – License Fees
Buying Before Noon on Sunday
For any alcohol sale between 7 a.m. and noon on Sunday, the licensee has to hold a specific permit from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and pay a $160 annual fee.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 436.2114 – Sale or Furnishing of Alcoholic Liquor Between Certain Hours Prohibited This applies to beer and wine as well as spirits. A store selling beer at 7:30 a.m. and a restaurant serving mimosas at brunch both need it. Without that permit, sales cannot start until noon.
Nothing is sold before 7 a.m. on any day. Michigan law prohibits all alcohol sales statewide between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 436.2114 – Sale or Furnishing of Alcoholic Liquor Between Certain Hours Prohibited
Local Bans Still in Effect
Because counties, cities, villages, and townships can restrict Sunday sales beyond the statewide baseline, the map isn’t uniform. The most prominent holdout is Hillsdale County, which remains the only Michigan county with a countywide ban on Sunday on-premise sales of spirits and mixed drinks. A 2025 bill sought to make repealing such bans easier, but the Hillsdale ban was still in place as of that effort.
The MLCC publishes a list of local governments that have opted out of Sunday sales. It’s worth a quick check if you’re traveling to a smaller community and planning a Sunday purchase.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Two holidays override the normal schedule, and both matter when they overlap with a Sunday.
- On Christmas, no licensee in Michigan can sell any alcohol between 11:59 p.m. on December 24 and noon on December 25. Stores, bars, and restaurants are all included.6Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Holiday Retail Sales Hours
- On New Year’s Eve, on-premise establishments can serve alcohol until 4 a.m. on January 1, with consumption allowed until 4:30 a.m. Those extended hours apply even when January 1 falls on a Sunday.6Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Holiday Retail Sales Hours
No other holidays carry special statewide restrictions in Michigan. Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, and other federal holidays follow the normal daily and Sunday rules.