Dram Shop and Social Host Liability for Event Hosts

By Anchor Guide editors · Reviewed

Quick answer

A dram shop law lets an injured person sue whoever served alcohol to someone who then caused harm. Of the 32 states we verified, 31 limit it to narrow cases, such as caps, a reasonable-belief defense, or serving minors or visibly drunk guests and 1 excludes seller liability.

At a glance

Without special conditions
0
Limited
31
None
1

By state

Liability laws.

StateDram shopStatute
AlaskaLimitedAlaska Stat. § 04.21.020
ArizonaLimitedAriz. Rev. Stat. § 4-311
ArkansasLimitedArk. Code Ann. § 16-126-104
CaliforniaLimitedCal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 25602.1; Cal. Civ. Code § 1714
ColoradoLimitedColo. Rev. Stat. § 44-3-801
ConnecticutLimitedConn. Gen. Stat. § 30-102
FloridaLimitedFla. Stat. § 768.125
IdahoLimitedIdaho Code § 23-808
IllinoisLimited235 ILCS 5/6-21
IndianaLimitedInd. Code § 7.1-5-10-15.5
IowaLimitedIowa Code § 123.92
MaineLimitedMe. Rev. Stat. tit. 28-A, § 2506
MinnesotaLimitedMinn. Stat. § 340A.801
MississippiLimitedMiss. Code Ann. § 67-3-73
MissouriLimitedMo. Rev. Stat. § 537.053
MontanaLimitedMCA 27-1-710
NebraskaLimitedNeb. Rev. Stat. § 53-404
NevadaLimitedNev. Rev. Stat. § 41.1305
New HampshireLimitedN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 507-F:4
New YorkLimitedN.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 11-101
North CarolinaLimitedN.C. Gen. Stat. § 18B-121
North DakotaLimitedN.D. Cent. Code § 5-01-06.1
OhioLimitedOhio Rev. Code § 4399.18
OregonLimitedORS 471.565
PennsylvaniaLimited47 P.S. § 4-497
Rhode IslandLimitedR.I. Gen. Laws § 3-14-6
South DakotaNoSDCL 35-4-78
TexasLimitedTex. Alco. Bev. Code § 2.02
UtahLimitedUtah Code § 32B-15-201
VermontLimited7 V.S.A. § 501
WisconsinLimitedWis. Stat. § 125.035
WyomingLimitedWyo. Stat. § 12-8-301

For hosts

Lowering the risk.

Hosts reduce risk the same way bars do: hire licensed, trained bartenders, check IDs, stop serving anyone visibly intoxicated, close the bar before the end of the event and arrange rides. Many venues also require the host or caterer to carry liquor liability insurance. This is general information, not legal advice.

Keep planning

Related.

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Sources

  1. Alaska — Alaska Stat. § 04.21.020 · State agency (akleg.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  2. Arizona — Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 4-311 · State agency (azleg.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  3. Arkansas — Ark. Code Ann. § 16-126-104 · State statute (via FindLaw), checked Oct 16, 2025
  4. California — Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 25602.1; Cal. Civ. Code § 1714 · State statute (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov), checked Aug 31, 2026
  5. Colorado — Colo. Rev. Stat. § 44-3-801 · State statute (via Public.Law), checked Oct 8, 2026
  6. Connecticut — Conn. Gen. Stat. § 30-102 · State agency (cga.ct.gov), checked Sep 29, 2026
  7. Florida — Fla. Stat. § 768.125 · State statute (leg.state.fl.us), checked Oct 8, 2026
  8. Idaho — Idaho Code § 23-808 · State statute (legislature.idaho.gov), checked Jun 9, 2026
  9. Illinois — 235 ILCS 5/6-21 · State agency (ilga.gov), checked Sep 22, 2026
  10. Indiana — Ind. Code § 7.1-5-10-15.5 · State agency (iga.in.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  11. Iowa — Iowa Code § 123.92 · State statute (legis.iowa.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  12. Maine — Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 28-A, § 2506 · State statute (legislature.maine.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  13. Minnesota — Minn. Stat. § 340A.801 · State statute (revisor.mn.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  14. Mississippi — Miss. Code Ann. § 67-3-73 · State statute (via FindLaw), checked Nov 20, 2025
  15. Missouri — Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.053 · State statute (revisor.mo.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  16. Montana — MCA 27-1-710 · State statute (mca.legmt.gov), checked Sep 16, 2026
  17. Nebraska — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 53-404 · State statute (nebraskalegislature.gov), checked Apr 16, 2026
  18. Nevada — Nev. Rev. Stat. § 41.1305 · State statute (leg.state.nv.us), checked Oct 6, 2026
  19. New Hampshire — N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 507-F:4 · State agency (gc.nh.gov), checked Sep 16, 2026
  20. New York — N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 11-101 · State statute (nysenate.gov), checked Nov 19, 2025
  21. North Carolina — N.C. Gen. Stat. § 18B-121 · State statute (ncleg.gov), checked May 20, 2026
  22. North Dakota — N.D. Cent. Code § 5-01-06.1 · State statute (ndlegis.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  23. Ohio — Ohio Rev. Code § 4399.18 · State statute (codes.ohio.gov), checked Sep 20, 2026
  24. Oregon — ORS 471.565 · State statute (oregonlegislature.gov), checked Sep 16, 2026
  25. Pennsylvania — 47 P.S. § 4-497 · State agency (pa.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  26. Rhode Island — R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-14-6 · State statute (webserver.rilegislature.gov), checked Sep 16, 2026
  27. South Dakota — SDCL 35-4-78 · State statute (sdlegislature.gov), checked Oct 8, 2026
  28. Texas — Tex. Alco. Bev. Code § 2.02 · State statute (via FindLaw), checked May 16, 2026
  29. Utah — Utah Code § 32B-15-201 · State agency (le.utah.gov), checked Mar 11, 2026
  30. Vermont — 7 V.S.A. § 501 · State statute (legislature.vermont.gov), checked May 17, 2026
  31. Wisconsin — Wis. Stat. § 125.035 · State statute (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov), checked Feb 16, 2026
  32. Wyoming — Wyo. Stat. § 12-8-301 · State statute (wyoleg.gov), checked Sep 16, 2026

General information, not legal advice.