October 2026 edition · 34 jurisdictions checked against statute or rule text · Updated by StartBusinessByState
Short answer: Most states stop bar sales at 2 a.m. Some have earlier defaults: 1 a.m. in Delaware, Idaho and Maine, and midnight in Florida and Texas unless local rules or a late-hours permit allow more. A handful run later. Your city or county can almost always set an earlier time than the state, so check locally before you set your hours.
Key facts
- 20 of 34 verified jurisdictions use 2 a.m. as the latest statewide time (counting states where 2 a.m. needs a local opt-in or permit).
- Latest statewide limits: Alaska 5 a.m. (AS 04.16.010) and New York 4 a.m. (ABC Law §106).
- Earliest default: midnight in Florida (unless a county or city sets other hours) and Texas (2 a.m. with a late-hours certificate).
- 9 states (including Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada and New Jersey) have no single statewide closing time; local governments set it.
- Several states give a grace period to finish drinks: Arizona and North Carolina 30 minutes, Maine 15 minutes.
What we found
Closing time is usually split between the state and local level. The state sets the outer limit, and cities, counties or local liquor boards can set an earlier time (and in some states a later one). That’s why “last call in Ohio” can be 1 a.m. at one bar and 2:30 a.m. at another: it depends on the permit type.
Several states have moved toward later hours in entertainment districts. Our table shows only what the state law or rule says. Where a state leaves the decision to localities, we say so instead of picking one city’s hours.
Bar closing times by state
“Latest time” means the latest on-premises sales time allowed under state law. Click a column to sort. The license link goes to our state guide to liquor license types and fees.
| State | Latest time | Details | Source | Liquor license |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not verified | Not confirmed from statute text for this edition; hours vary by local law. | — | License guide |
| Alaska | 5 a.m. | No sales 5 a.m.–8 a.m. statewide; local governments may set shorter hours. | Alaska Stat. §04.16.010 | License guide |
| Arizona | 2 a.m. | Drinks may be consumed until 2:30 a.m. | A.R.S. §4-244(15) | License guide |
| Arkansas | Not verified | Not confirmed for this edition; depends on permit type and local option. | — | License guide |
| California | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–6 a.m. | Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §25631 | License guide |
| Colorado | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–7 a.m. | C.R.S. §44-3-901(6)(b)(I) | License guide |
| Connecticut | Not verified | Statute allows later hours on weekend mornings; exact wording not re-confirmed for this edition. | Conn. Gen. Stat. §30-91 | License guide |
| Delaware | 1 a.m. | Cities and towns may set an earlier time. | 4 Del. C. §709(c) | License guide |
| District of Columbia | 2 a.m. / 3 a.m. | 2 a.m. on weeknights; 3 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. | D.C. Code §25-723 | License guide |
| Florida | Midnight* | State default is midnight unless a county or city ordinance sets other hours; many do. | Fla. Stat. §562.14 | License guide |
| Georgia | Set locally | Set by cities and counties. | — | License guide |
| Hawaii | Set locally | Set by each county liquor commission. Kauai: 2 a.m. (4 a.m. for cabaret and some hotel licenses). | County liquor commission rules | License guide |
| Idaho | 1 a.m. | For liquor by the drink; cities and counties may restrict further. | Idaho Code §23-927 | License guide |
| Illinois | Set locally | No statewide closing time; set by local liquor commissioners. | — | License guide |
| Indiana | 3 a.m. | No sales 3 a.m.–7 a.m. (statute text confirmed via secondary statute host). | Ind. Code §7.1-3-1-14 | License guide |
| Iowa | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–6 a.m. Monday–Saturday. | Iowa Code §123.49(2)(b) | License guide |
| Kansas | Not verified | Not confirmed for this edition; varies by license type and local rules. | — | License guide |
| Kentucky | Set locally | Set locally. State law says local hours cannot bar beer sales between 6 a.m. and midnight. | KRS §244.480 | License guide |
| Louisiana | Set locally | No statewide closing time; parishes and cities decide (New Orleans has none). | — | License guide |
| Maine | 1 a.m. | Drinks may be consumed until 1:15 a.m.; 2 a.m. on New Year's Day. | 28-A M.R.S. §4 | License guide |
| Maryland | Set locally | Set by county liquor boards. | — | License guide |
| Massachusetts | 2 a.m. max | 2 a.m. is the ceiling; cities and towns set the actual hours. | M.G.L. ch.138 §12 | License guide |
| Michigan | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–7 a.m. | MCL §436.2114 | License guide |
| Minnesota | 1 a.m. / 2 a.m. | 1 a.m. by default; 2 a.m. with a state 2 a.m. permit and local approval. | Minn. Stat. §340A.504 | License guide |
| Mississippi | Not verified | Not confirmed for this edition; set largely by local option. | — | License guide |
| Missouri | 1:30 a.m. | Statewide default under the liquor-by-the-drink statute. | RSMo §311.290 | License guide |
| Montana | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–8 a.m. | MCA §16-3-304 | License guide |
| Nebraska | 1 a.m. / 2 a.m. | 1 a.m. by default; a city or county may allow 2 a.m. | Neb. Rev. Stat. §53-179 | License guide |
| Nevada | Set locally | No statewide closing time; set by cities and counties (Las Vegas bars may serve 24 hours). | — | License guide |
| New Hampshire | 1 a.m. / 2 a.m. | 1 a.m. by default; 2 a.m. where the city or town adopts it. | RSA 179:17 | License guide |
| New Jersey | Set locally | Set by municipalities. | — | License guide |
| New Mexico | Not verified | Not confirmed for this edition. | — | License guide |
| New York | 4 a.m. | Counties may set an earlier time (many upstate counties do). | N.Y. Alco. Bev. Cont. Law §106(5) | License guide |
| North Carolina | 2 a.m. | Drinks may be consumed until 2:30 a.m. | N.C.G.S. §18B-1004 | License guide |
| North Dakota | 2 a.m. | Cities and counties may restrict further. | N.D.C.C. §5-02-05 | License guide |
| Ohio | 2:30 a.m. | 2:30 a.m. for D-5 and similar night-club permits; 1 a.m. for most other permits. | Ohio Adm. Code 4301:1-1-49 | License guide |
| Oklahoma | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–6 a.m. | 37A O.S. §3-125 | License guide |
| Oregon | 2:30 a.m. | No sales 2:30 a.m.–7 a.m. | OAR 845-006-0425 | License guide |
| Pennsylvania | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–7 a.m. Monday–Saturday. | 47 P.S. §4-406 | License guide |
| Rhode Island | 1 a.m. / 2 a.m. | 1 a.m. by default; 2 a.m. Fridays, Saturdays and pre-holiday nights with local approval (fee $200–$500). | R.I. Gen. Laws §3-7-7 | License guide |
| South Carolina | 2 a.m. | No liquor-by-the-drink sales 2 a.m.–10 a.m.; Sunday sales only where local voters allow. | S.C. Code Title 61, ch. 6 | License guide |
| South Dakota | 2 a.m. | No on-sale 2 a.m.–7 a.m. | SDCL §35-4-81.2 | License guide |
| Tennessee | 3 a.m. | Liquor-by-the-drink sales end at 3 a.m. (state rule; local beer boards may set other beer hours). | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0100-01-.03 | License guide |
| Texas | Midnight / 2 a.m. | Midnight by default (1 a.m. Saturday night); 2 a.m. with a late-hours certificate in cities of 800,000+ or areas that opt in. | Tex. Alco. Bev. Code §105.03 | License guide |
| Utah | Not verified | Not confirmed for this edition. | — | License guide |
| Vermont | 2 a.m. | Local control commissioners may set earlier hours. | 7 V.S.A. §62 | License guide |
| Virginia | Not verified | Not confirmed for this edition. | — | License guide |
| Washington | 2 a.m. | No sales 2 a.m.–6 a.m. | WAC 314-11-070 | License guide |
| West Virginia | 3 a.m. | For private club licensees (most WV bars); 1 p.m. start on Sundays. | W. Va. Code §60-7-12 | License guide |
| Wisconsin | 2 a.m. / 2:30 a.m. | 2 a.m. on weeknights; 2:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. | Wis. Stat. §125.32(3) | License guide |
| Wyoming | Set locally | No statewide closing time; local licensing authorities set hours of operation (statewide hours repealed in 2017). | Wyo. Stat. §12-5-101(d) | License guide |
Liquor license types and costs
We don’t list one license price per state, because in most states the total depends on the city or county, the license class (beer and wine vs. full liquor, restaurant vs. tavern) and whether licenses are capped by population. In quota states, a full liquor license can sell on the private market for far more than the government fee. Our state guides break this down. Good places to start: New York, Florida, Texas, California, Pennsylvania and Hawaii.
Planning a bar or restaurant? These pages cover other cost data: tip credit by state, 2027 minimum wage by state, dining-out spending per restaurant and card swipe fees by state.
Methods and limits
- We read the current state statute or administrative rule for each state we list with a time, and linked it. Two entries (Indiana and Tennessee) were confirmed through a secondary copy of the official text and are marked “secondary” in the CSV.
- We report the latest time a licensed bar may sell for on-premises drinking. Package-store, grocery and Sunday hours are different and not covered here.
- Local rules, permit classes, holidays (often New Year’s Day) and special entertainment-district permits can change the time for a particular bar.
- “Not verified” means we didn’t confirm the rule from primary text for this edition. We don’t fill those gaps with guesses.
- This page is general information, not legal advice. Confirm with your state alcohol agency and local licensing board.
Cite this data
Reporters and bloggers may use these numbers and charts. Please credit StartBusinessByState and link to this page.
Source: StartBusinessByState, “Bar Closing Times by State (2026): Last Call Laws and Liquor License Guide,” https://startbusinessbystate.com/bar-closing-times-by-state/ (updated October 7, 2026).
FAQ
What time is last call in most states?
2 a.m. Among the 34 jurisdictions where we confirmed a statewide limit, 20 use 2 a.m. as the latest time, including states where 2 a.m. needs a local opt-in or permit.
Which state lets bars stay open latest?
Alaska. State law allows sales until 5 a.m., though local governments can set earlier hours. New York allows 4 a.m., and its counties can set an earlier time.
Can a city set an earlier closing time than the state?
Usually yes. Most state laws set the latest allowed time and let cities, counties or local liquor boards set an earlier one.
Which states have no statewide closing time?
Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, Georgia, Maryland, Kentucky and Hawaii leave bar hours mainly to local governments or county boards. 8 more states were not verified for this edition.
How much does a liquor license cost?
It depends on the state, the city or county and the license class. Quota states can have high resale prices. See our state liquor license guides for fees and license types.
Last updated October 7, 2026 by StartBusinessByState.